The effects of doxapram on haematology, serum biochemical parameters and erythrocyte oxidant/ antioxidant status in dogs anaesthetized with propofol

Abstract

The present prospective randomized experimental study was designed to determine the effects of doxapram on haematological, serum biochemical and antioxidant status in dogs after propofol anaesthesia. Twenty‐four healthy male mixed breed dogs, aged 1–2 years, weighing 20.4 ± 2.6 kg was studied. Each dog was anaesthetized twice, with at least one week for washout. Animals were sedated with acepromazine (0.1 mg/kg) intramuscularly. Forty minutes later, anaesthesia was induced using intravenous (IV) propofol (4 mg/kg) titration and maintained for 30 min by propofol (0.2 mg kg−1 min−1). After propofol was discontinued, doxapram (2 mg/kg) hydrochloride was administrated IV in PD treatment while an equal volume of saline was administrated in PS treatment. Blood parameters were analysed in four times: immediately before sedation (T1), after treatment (T2), after complete recovery (T3) and 24 hr later (T4). Haematological assessments revealed no significant difference between treatments except in haematocrit which was significantly reduced at T4 (24 hr later) in PD. A decreasing trend of all haematological variables was observed after doxapram administration until recovery, except monocyte, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, red blood cell distribution width and platelet count. Serum urea, creatinine, glucose, cholesterol, direct bilirubin concentration and alanine aminotransferase activity were not changed following doxapram administration compared to the PS treatment. After doxapram administration, Creatinine (T3), Albumin (T2) and Protein (T2 & T3) decreased while Glucose (T2 & T3) and BT (T3) increased. Antioxidant parameters measured showed no difference between treatments or time. Doxapram (2 mg/kg) IV did not induce any major negative effects on haematological, serum biochemical variables and oxidant/antioxidant status in dogs after propofol anaesthesia.

Postoperative pharmacological ventilation in a dog following surgical stabilisation of the first and second cervical vertebrae

“…In the case presented here, doxapram administration was associated with a noticeable increase in HR and blood pressure when administered at 30 µg/kg/min. These returned to normal at lower doses (10–20 µg/kg/min), and no other side effects compared with those reported by other authors were noted 9,11,17,25,27 …”

“…These returned to normal at lower doses (10-20 μg/kg/min), and no other side effects compared with those reported by other authors were noted. 9,11,17,25,27 It is possible that the sedative and anaesthetic drugs administered to the dog during the procedure may have played a role in the postoperative ventilation impairment. It is well known that one side effect of opioids is respiratory depression due to reduced sensitivity of the respiratory centres to PaCO 2 , although this effect appears to be more problematic in humans than in animals.…”

“…In order to assess whether or not the infusion of doxapram had caused a systemic effect, we performed serum biochemistry 48 hours following surgery. Sabiza et al 27 demonstrated that 2 mg/kg doxapram administered IV to anaesthetised dogs, resulted in an increase in serum albumin and total protein. This agrees with our findings, but the cause and significance of this is unclear and requires further investigation.…”