COMPARISON BETWEEN LIDOCAINE ALONE AND FENTANYL WITH LIDOCAINE FOR EPIDURAL-ANESTHESIA IN DOGS

The study was designed to evaluate the benefit of an epidural administ ration of lidocaine/fentanyl compared with lidocaine alone. Fourteen c linically healthy dogs were administered 0.3 ml/kg 2% lidocaine with 1 :200000 epinephrine hydrochloride, 14 received a mixture of 100 mu g f entanyl and 0.3 ml/kg 2% lidocaine with 1:200000 epinephrine hydrochlo ride via the same route and 7 received 100 mu g fentanyl in 0.3 ml/kg saline with 1:200000 epinephrine hydrochloride. A significantly shorte ned onset (p < 0.001) and a longer duration (p < 0.01) of analgesia we re observed in the group that received the lidocaine/fentanyl mixture. A significant decrease in mean arterial blood pressure was observed i n dogs 45 and 60 minutes after the administration of lidocaine (p < 0. 01). In conclusion, the addition of fentanyl to lidocaine resulted in effective analgesia with shorter time of spread and greater duration o f the analgesic block than the local anaesthetic alone.