Studies on Flunixin Meglumine in Dogs Undergoing Anaesthesia and Surgery

Maitra, Anita Sauri (1993) Studies on Flunixin Meglumine in Dogs Undergoing Anaesthesia and Surgery. MVM(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

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Abstract

In this study, flunixin meglumine, 1.1 mg/kg, was administered intravenously to two groups of dogs undergoing routine anaesthesia and surgery. The first group of dogs (Group A), were given the drug during anaesthesia, prior to the start of surgery, while the second group of dogs (Group B), were given the drug immediately on termination of anaesthesia and surgery. A pharmacokinetic study was undertaken to determine the presence of any alterations in the kinetics of flunixin, between the two groups of dogs. The results obtained in this study indicated that the time of administration of flunixin to the anaesthetised dog had no effect on the pharmacokinetic parameters measured. There was no significant difference between the elimination half-lives (7.86 + 1.18 hours; 6.10 + 0.74 hours), mean residence time (8.73 + 2.53 hours; 4.52 + 0.36 hours), or body clearance (34.88 + 5.64 ml/kg.hr; 34.55 + 4.58 ml/kg.hr) of the drug, between these two groups of dogs. However, when the results of this study were compared with the results of other workers (Hardie et al, 1985; McKellar et al, 1991b), who had investigated the pharmacokinetics of flunixin in the conscious dog, differences in the pharmacokinetics of flunixin were found to exist. In this trial, the distribution and elimination half-lives obtained in anaesthetised dogs were double that obtained in conscious dogs by Hardie et al (1985) and McKellar et al (1991b). Also, the body clearance of the drug in the anaesthetised dog was found to be half that in the conscious dog (Hardie et al, 1985; McKellar et al, 1991b). Ideally during this trial a parallel study in conscious dogs should have been undertaken simultaneously, to clarify that the distribution and elimination half-lives obtained in the anaesthetised dogs were indeed double that in the conscious dog. There was no correlation between mean arterial blood pressure and any pharmacokinetic parameter. Each individual dog was screened for evidence of renal damage using biochemical markers and the results were compared with a third group of dogs (Group C), who had undergone routine anaesthesia and surgery, but had not received flunixin. Flunixin meglumine caused a significant rise in BUN levels in dogs in the trial, when administered during anaesthesia. Thus, some renal damage occurred, irrespective of whether the drug was administered to the anaesthetised animal prior to the start of surgery or immediately on termination of anaesthesia, and this occured in some cases, despite mean arterial blood pressure readings being within the normal range. The rise in BUN took place during the first 12 hours of flunixin administration in the anaesthetised dog, and in 75% of the cases, was seen to be resolving within 30 hours of its administration. In all cases, renal damage was not considered severe and did not produce any clinical signs except in one dog, which remained polydipsic for 2 months after anaesthesia. The study demonstrated, however, that the rise in BUN produced when flunixin was administered during anaesthesia, prior to the start of surgery, was greater than that produced when the drug was given immediately on termination of anaesthesia. This was demonstrated by a significant difference still existing in BUN levels, from 0 to 30 hours, between dogs in group A and control group C, while no significant difference existed in BUN levels from 0 to 30 hours between dogs in group B and control group C.

Item Type: Thesis (MVM(R))
Qualification Level: Masters
Additional Information: Adviser: N T Gorman
Keywords: Veterinary science
Date of Award: 1993
Depositing User: Enlighten Team
Unique ID: glathesis:1993-75834
Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
Date Deposited: 19 Nov 2019 17:55
Last Modified: 19 Nov 2019 17:55
URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/75834

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