Echocardiographic parameters in dogs treated with acepromazine and fentanyl

• Published in: Arquivo brasileiro de medicina veterinária e zootecnia 2018-12, Vol.70 (6), p.1767-1774
• Main Authors: Santos, E.A., Aptekmann, K.P., Santos, P.O.P.R., Reis, A.C., Kuster, M.C.C., Andrade Junior, P.S.C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: echocardiography; opioid; phenothiazine; VETERINARY SCIENCES
• ISSN: 0102-0935; 1678-4162; 1678-4162
• DOI: 10.1590/1678-4162-10002

ABSTRACT Considering that the use of tranquillizers could optimize the performance of the echocardiogram, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of protocols with acepromazine and fentanyl on the echocardiographic parameters of healthy dogs, besides their effect in systolic blood pressure (SBP), respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), time spent for examination and sedation scale. Ten adult dogs were submitted to different tranquilizing protocols 20 minutes before the echocardiographic examination, totalling five treatments for each pair, performed at seven-day intervals between evaluations. The treatments were CT (control treatment), IAT (intramuscular acepromazine), OAT (oral acepromazine), FT (fentanyl) and AFT (acepromazine associated with fentanyl). In addition to the echocardiographic evaluation, SBP, degree of reassurance, duration of the exam, HR and RR in the different protocols were evaluated. There was a significant decrease of SBP in OAT. There was a significant reduction in left ventricular diameter during systole and diastole and mitral annular movement in IAT, OAT and AFT, compared with CT. There was a decrease in tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion and increase in mitral E/mitral A ratio in IAT and OAT when compared with CT. All the tranquillizer protocols studied were found to significantly reduce HR, that facilitated the echocardiographic examination. RESUMO Considerando que o uso de tranquilizantes poderia otimizar a realização do ecocardiograma, objetivou-se com este estudo avaliar o efeito da tranquilização com acepromazina e fentanil sobre os parâmetros ecocardiográficos em cães saudáveis, bem como o efeito na pressão arterial sistólica (PAS), na frequência respiratória (FR), na frequência cardíaca (FC), no tempo gasto para a realização do exame e na escala de sedação. Dez cães adultos foram submetidos a diferentes protocolos tranquilizantes, 20 minutos antes da avaliação ecocardiográfica, totalizando cinco tratamentos para cada dupla, realizados com intervalos de sete dias entre as avaliações. Os tratamentos foram: TC (tratamento controle), TAI (acepromazina intramuscular), TAO (acepromazina oral), TF (fentanil) e TAF (acepromazina associada ao fentanil). Além dos parâmetros ecocardiográficos, foram avaliados a PAS, o grau de tranquilização, o tempo de duração do exame e a FC e a FR nos diferentes protocolos. Houve diminuição significativa da PAS no TAO. Observou-se redução significativa do diâmetro do ventrículo esquerdo em