EVALUATION OF A SURVEY OF THE DIPLOMATES OF THE AMERICAN-COLLEGE OF LABORATORY-ANIMAL MEDICINE ON USE OF ANALGESIC AGENTS IN ANIMALS USED IN BIOMEDICAL-RESEARCH

Objective-To determine the analgesic agents administered to animals fr equently used in biomedical research. Design-Telephone survey. Sample Population-Diplomates of the American College of Laboratory Animal Med icine. Procedure-200 of 429 active diplomates listed in the 1993 direc tory of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine were select ed al random for telephone interviews. Diplomates were asked to identi fy the species that they cared for and the dosages, dosing intervals, and routes of administration for analgesic agents. Results-90 of 200 ( 45%) diplomates completed the survey. Twenty-two analgesic agents were identified for use in 472 applications in 16 species, Opioid analgesi cs were the most frequently selected agents, with buprenorphine hydroc hloride and butorphanol being most frequently used. Intramuscular and subcutaneous routes of administration were used most frequently. Clini cal Implications-Among diplomates of the American College of Laborator y Animal Medicine, opioids are the most frequently selected agents use d to induce analgesia in animals used in biomedical research. Dosages and dosing intervals used vary widely among animals of various species as well as for animals in each species.