Abstract
Objective
To compare sedative and analgesic properties of buprenorphine or morphine for standing
procedures combined with a detomidine continuous rate infusion (CRI).
Study design
Blinded, prospective, randomized clinical pilot study.
Animals
Ten horses presented for dental or sinus procedures.
Methods
Horses received 0.02 mg kg−1 acepromazine intravenously (IV), followed 30 minutes later by detomidine 10 μg kg−1 IV. Five minutes later, buprenorphine 0.01 mg kg−1 (n = 6) or morphine 0.1 mg kg−1 (n = 4) was administered IV. Detomidine was administered by CRI (0.2 μg kg−1 minute−1) and adjusted to maintain appropriate sedation. Heart rate, respiratory frequency,
gastrointestinal motility and rectal temperature were measured; pain, ataxia and sedation
were scored. Sedation, pain scores and ataxia scores were analysed using a mixed linear
model. Detomidine dose and procedure success scores were compared using Wilcoxon's
rank sum test. Complications between groups were analysed using Fisher's exact test.
Results
Two horses had incomplete data. Weights and ages were not different between groups
(p = 0.15 and p = 0.42, respectively). The dose rate for detomidine was not different between groups
(0.33 ± 0.02 μg kg−1 minute−1 in the buprenorphine group and 0.33 ± 0.05 μg kg−1 minute−1, in the morphine group p = 0.89). Intraoperative visual analogue scale scores were greater after buprenorphine
than morphine (mean ± SD, buprenorphine 48 ± 4, morphine 40 ± 5, p = 0.0497). Procedure duration was not different between groups (buprenorphine 142
± 33, morphine 140 ± 12 minutes). All horses treated with buprenorphine experienced
complications compared with none in the morphine group (p = 0.0286).
Conclusions and clinical relevance
At the doses used, buprenorphine produced greater sedation but more post-operative
complications than morphine. However, Type I or Type II errors cannot be excluded
and larger studies are required to confirm these findings.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
March 19,
2015
Received:
December 16,
2014
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
