COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF THE ANALGESIC EFFECTS OF EPIDURAL METHADONE PRECEDED OR NOT BY PREEMPTIVE ADMINISTRATION OF CARPROFEN IN DOGS UNDERGOING PERINEAL OR LOWER ABDOMEN SURGERY

The analgesic value of epidural methadone, preceded or not by intravenous administration of carprofen, was assessed. Sixteen dogs scheduled for perineal or lower abdomen surgery were randomly assigned either to group M (epidural administration of 0,2 mg/kg of methadone) or to group CM (intravenous administration of 3 mg/kg of carprofen followed by epidural administration of 0,2 mg/kg of methadone). Statistical analysis of Et-Iso values failed to detect significant analgesic differences during surgery in the two groups of dogs. Better analgesic scores and prolonged analgesia up to ten hours after the end of anaesthesia were registered in group CM, as measured by UMPS.