The effects of intravenous lidocaine before propofol induction in premedicated dogs.

OBJECTIVE: The effects of lidocaine, administered before induction of anaesthesia with propofol, on arterial blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, cough reflex, ease of intubation, extrapyramidal signs and required dose of propofol in healthy premedicated dogs were evaluated. METHODS: Twenty-four client-owned dogs were premedicated intramuscularly with 1 µg/kg dexmedetomidine and 0·2 mg/kg methadone, and randomly allocated to receive 2 mg/kg lidocaine (group L) or saline (group P) 120 seconds before induction of anaesthesia with propofol. Heart rate, non-invasive arterial blood pressure and respiratory rate were assessed at pre-established intervals. Quality of intubation, cough reflex and the occurrence of adverse effects were scored according to predefined scales. The total amount of propofol administered was also recorded. RESULTS: Cardiovascular and respiratory variables changed over time but were not significantly different between treatments. No significant differences between groups were found for the incidence of coughing, quality of intubation, adverse effects and propofol intubation dose. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Intravenous administration of lidocaine 2 mg/kg before propofol induction was not associated with significant cardiovascular and respiratory benefits compared to standard induction and did not result in a propofol dose-sparing effect or improvement of the quality of intubation in dogs premedicated with dexmedetomidine and methadone.

Preemptive carprofen for peri-operative analgesia in dogs undergoing Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO): a prospective, randomized, blinded, placebo controlled clinical trial.

Eighteen client-owned dogs undergoing Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) were included in this blinded clinical study and randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. Group C (carprofen) received intravenous (IV) carprofen, 4 mg/kg, prior to anesthesia, whereas group P (placebo) received IV saline. General anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane in oxygen and a constant rate infusion (CRI) of sufentanyl IV. Intra-operatively, assessment of nociception was based on changes in physiological parameters and on the analgesics requirement, whereas in the post-operative period evaluation of pain was performed by using a Hellyer and Gaynor pain score and by comparing the doses of rescue buprenorphine required by the two treatment groups. Although no statistically significant differences in intra-operative sufentanyl doses were found between treatment groups, group C had superior cardiovascular stability, and lower post-operative pain scores and rescue buprenorphine doses than group P. Our results indicate that administration of carprofen prior to surgery was effective in improving peri-operative analgesia in dogs undergoing TPLO.