Abstract

BRAVO, Maribel J; BRAVO, Hermes  and  DALO, Nelson L. Flunixin Meglumine Decreases Perioperative Signs of Pain in Bitches Undergoing Ovariohisterectomy.. Rev. Cient. (Maracaibo) [online]. 2008, vol.18, n.2, pp.142-147. ISSN 0798-2259.

There are a great number of evidences about the usefulness of analgesic drug administration before the surgery (preventive analgesia) in animals. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of flunixin meglumine (FM) administered before the surgery upon the perioperative signs of pain in bitches that underwent ovariohisterectomy (OVH). The signs and levels of pain were measured using the scale of the University of Melbourne. Two groups were used, the experimental group which was treated with FM and control group. The experimental group showed median values lower than the control group, which indicated less level of pain during the trans-operative period and immediately after surgery. According to total values of the scale, animals in experimental group showed light to moderated levels of pain, whereas light to severe pain levels were found in control. Also in control group, the heart frequency increased during the trans-operative period (116.87 ± 29.61 beat/min) and immediately after surgery (133.94 ± 29.82 beat/min), when they were compared with the pre-operative period (98.3 ± 21.0 beat/min); in contrast, animals in the experimental group did not show heart frequency increment. These results suggest that the use of FM in preventive analgesia during OVH reduces the level of pain in bitches and it may improve the analgesia during the perioperative period.

Keywords : Pain; preventive analgesia; flunixin meglumine.