Lateral intercostal thoracotomy was performed in sixteen mongrel adult dogs divided in two groups for diferent analgesic treatments. The dogs of group I received intravenous flunixin meglumine before surgery as an analgesic protocol, and those of group II received interpleural bupivacaine for the same purpose of pain control. All animals were maintained in a recovery room during four hours in which were monitored the pulmonary tidal volume, blood gas, capillary refill time, mucous membrane color, respiratory and heart rates and rectal temperature. Pain scores were used to evaluate the effect of the analgesic technics in groups I and II. The results showed a reduction on the arterial oxygen parcial pressure levels after the thoracotomy. No significant statistical diference was shown between groups I and II and both flunixin meglumine and bupivacaine were effective in the analgesia of the postoperative period.
analgesia; dogs; flunixin meglumine; surgery; bupivacaine
