ABILITY OF FLUMAZENIL, BUTORPHANOL, AND NALOXONE TO REVERSE THE ANESTHETIC EFFECTS OF OXYMORPHONE-DIAZEPAM IN DOGS

Objective-To evaluate the ability of flumazenil (FLU), butorphanol (BU T), and naloxone (NALI to reverse the anesthetic effects of oxymorphon e-diazepam in dogs. Animals-6 healthy adult mixed-breed dogs. Procedur e-Dogs were randomly assigned to each of 6 reversal treatment groups. In each experiment, oxymorphone (0.22 mg/kg of body weight, IV) and di azepam (0.22 mg/kg, IV) were given sequentially 15 minutes after glyco pyrrolate (0.01 mg/kg, IV) administration. Physiologic saline solution (SAL; 1 ml), FLU (0.01 mg/kg), BUT (0.44 mg/kg), or NAL (0.06 mg/kg) alone, or FLU-BUT or FLU-NAL (same dosages) was given IV as a reversal treatment 15 minutes after oxymorphone-diazepam administration. An in dividual unaware of the treatment protocol recorded time to extubation , sternal recumbency, and walking. Results-Time to extubation was sign ificantly (P <0.05) less with BUT, NAL, FLU-BUT, or FLU-NAL treatment, compared with that for SAL treatment. Time to sternal recumbency was less with BUT, NAL, FLU-BUT, or FLU-NAL treatment, compared with that for SAL treatment. Time to walking was less with FLU-BUT or FLU-NAL tr eatment, compared with that far SAL treatment. Clinical Implications-F lumazenil, in combination with BUT or NAL, can be used to reverse the anesthetic effects of oxymorphone-diazepam in dogs.