ROMIFIDINE AS A PREMEDICANT TO PROPOFOL INDUCTION AND INFUSION ANESTHESIA IN THE DOG

The effects of premedication with four different intravenous doses of romifidine (20, 40, 80 and 120 mu g/kg bodyweight) and a saline placeb o were compared in a group of 20 adult beagles of both sexes, undergoi ng anaesthesia with propofol for a clinical dental procedure. Anaesthe sia was induced 10 minutes after premedication and maintained by intra venous infusion of propofol for a period of 30 minutes. Romifidine had a marked synergistic effect with propofol and reduced the required in duction and infusion doses by more than 60 per cent for a standard lev el of anaesthesia; the synergistic effect was dose related. Following premedication, propofol. produced no significant alteration of respira tory rate, heart rate or rectal temperature. Anaesthesia was found to be more stable following romifidine premedication at all doses studied . The quality of induction was unaltered by the dose of the romifidine . Recovery from anaesthesia was smooth and of a similar quality in all cases. There were no differences in the recovery times between the un premedicated group and the dogs premedicated with any dose of romifidi ne studied. There were no adverse effects noted following this anaesth etic regimen. The marked dose-related synergism with propofol inductio n and infusion anaesthesia is relevant should romifidine be used in th e dog in clinical veterinary practice.