Buprenorphine Versus Methadone in Female New Zealand White Rabbits Undergoing Balanced Anaesthesia for Calvaria Surgery

Buprenorphine has gained widespread popularity for use in rabbits, while much less is known about methadone. Our aim was to compare sedative, analgesic, and respiratory effects of methadone and buprenorphine as part of balanced anaesthesia. Forty-eight female New Zealand white rabbits undergoing cal...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Daniela Casoni, Chiara Parodi, Luisana Gisela Garcia Casalta, Kay Nettelbeck, Claudia Spadavecchia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/13/1843
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849428883572523008
author Daniela Casoni
Chiara Parodi
Luisana Gisela Garcia Casalta
Kay Nettelbeck
Claudia Spadavecchia
author_facet Daniela Casoni
Chiara Parodi
Luisana Gisela Garcia Casalta
Kay Nettelbeck
Claudia Spadavecchia
author_sort Daniela Casoni
collection DOAJ
description Buprenorphine has gained widespread popularity for use in rabbits, while much less is known about methadone. Our aim was to compare sedative, analgesic, and respiratory effects of methadone and buprenorphine as part of balanced anaesthesia. Forty-eight female New Zealand white rabbits undergoing calvaria defects were randomly equally assigned to receive either 0.03 mg kg<sup>−1</sup> of buprenorphine (group B) or 0.3 mg kg<sup>−1</sup> of methadone (group M) in combination with 15 mg kg<sup>−1</sup> of ketamine and 0.1 mg kg<sup>−1</sup> of dexmedetomidine SC. Fifteen minutes later, sedation was scored. A laryngeal mask was placed, and inhalational anaesthesia started. Rescue intraoperative analgesia was administered based on autonomic variations. Arterial blood gases were analysed intra- and postoperatively. Postoperative analgesia was administered if the Rabbit Grimace Scale (RbtGS) score was ≥4. The Mann–Whitney test, <i>t</i>-test, and relative risk followed by chi-square test were used to compare the treatment groups. Deeper sedation was observed in rabbits of group M than in those of group B. Rescue analgesia was administered intraoperatively to seven animals in group B and five in group M (<i>p</i> = 0.739) and postoperatively to three in group B and twelve in group M (<i>p</i> = 0.013). Rabbits of both groups showed short-term respiratory acidosis. RbtGS scores indicated better and longer analgesia in group B compared to group M.
format Article
id doaj-art-7ad7fbe15cfb4688bb130bd07dc3ad48
institution Kabale University
issn 2076-2615
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Animals
spelling doaj-art-7ad7fbe15cfb4688bb130bd07dc3ad482025-08-20T03:28:32ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-06-011513184310.3390/ani15131843Buprenorphine Versus Methadone in Female New Zealand White Rabbits Undergoing Balanced Anaesthesia for Calvaria SurgeryDaniela Casoni0Chiara Parodi1Luisana Gisela Garcia Casalta2Kay Nettelbeck3Claudia Spadavecchia4Experimental Surgery Facility, Experimental Animal Center, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, SwitzerlandExperimental Surgery Facility, Experimental Animal Center, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, SwitzerlandExperimental Surgery Facility, Experimental Animal Center, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, SwitzerlandExperimental Surgery Facility, Experimental Animal Center, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, SwitzerlandAnaesthesia Division, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, SwitzerlandBuprenorphine has gained widespread popularity for use in rabbits, while much less is known about methadone. Our aim was to compare sedative, analgesic, and respiratory effects of methadone and buprenorphine as part of balanced anaesthesia. Forty-eight female New Zealand white rabbits undergoing calvaria defects were randomly equally assigned to receive either 0.03 mg kg<sup>−1</sup> of buprenorphine (group B) or 0.3 mg kg<sup>−1</sup> of methadone (group M) in combination with 15 mg kg<sup>−1</sup> of ketamine and 0.1 mg kg<sup>−1</sup> of dexmedetomidine SC. Fifteen minutes later, sedation was scored. A laryngeal mask was placed, and inhalational anaesthesia started. Rescue intraoperative analgesia was administered based on autonomic variations. Arterial blood gases were analysed intra- and postoperatively. Postoperative analgesia was administered if the Rabbit Grimace Scale (RbtGS) score was ≥4. The Mann–Whitney test, <i>t</i>-test, and relative risk followed by chi-square test were used to compare the treatment groups. Deeper sedation was observed in rabbits of group M than in those of group B. Rescue analgesia was administered intraoperatively to seven animals in group B and five in group M (<i>p</i> = 0.739) and postoperatively to three in group B and twelve in group M (<i>p</i> = 0.013). Rabbits of both groups showed short-term respiratory acidosis. RbtGS scores indicated better and longer analgesia in group B compared to group M.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/13/1843analgesiarabbitsbone surgeryopioids
spellingShingle Daniela Casoni
Chiara Parodi
Luisana Gisela Garcia Casalta
Kay Nettelbeck
Claudia Spadavecchia
Buprenorphine Versus Methadone in Female New Zealand White Rabbits Undergoing Balanced Anaesthesia for Calvaria Surgery
Animals
analgesia
rabbits
bone surgery
opioids
title Buprenorphine Versus Methadone in Female New Zealand White Rabbits Undergoing Balanced Anaesthesia for Calvaria Surgery
title_full Buprenorphine Versus Methadone in Female New Zealand White Rabbits Undergoing Balanced Anaesthesia for Calvaria Surgery
title_fullStr Buprenorphine Versus Methadone in Female New Zealand White Rabbits Undergoing Balanced Anaesthesia for Calvaria Surgery
title_full_unstemmed Buprenorphine Versus Methadone in Female New Zealand White Rabbits Undergoing Balanced Anaesthesia for Calvaria Surgery
title_short Buprenorphine Versus Methadone in Female New Zealand White Rabbits Undergoing Balanced Anaesthesia for Calvaria Surgery
title_sort buprenorphine versus methadone in female new zealand white rabbits undergoing balanced anaesthesia for calvaria surgery
topic analgesia
rabbits
bone surgery
opioids
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/13/1843
work_keys_str_mv AT danielacasoni buprenorphineversusmethadoneinfemalenewzealandwhiterabbitsundergoingbalancedanaesthesiaforcalvariasurgery
AT chiaraparodi buprenorphineversusmethadoneinfemalenewzealandwhiterabbitsundergoingbalancedanaesthesiaforcalvariasurgery
AT luisanagiselagarciacasalta buprenorphineversusmethadoneinfemalenewzealandwhiterabbitsundergoingbalancedanaesthesiaforcalvariasurgery
AT kaynettelbeck buprenorphineversusmethadoneinfemalenewzealandwhiterabbitsundergoingbalancedanaesthesiaforcalvariasurgery
AT claudiaspadavecchia buprenorphineversusmethadoneinfemalenewzealandwhiterabbitsundergoingbalancedanaesthesiaforcalvariasurgery