Thiopental

RE: Thiopental

monkeybrains13 — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 20:09:26 GMT

Thanks to everyone for your advice! had my first day of using it and touch wood all been ok!

RE: Thiopental

Susanna Taylor — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 10:06:53 GMT

Thio is ok to use as long as you understand it a bit. I quite liked it really.

It it is quick acting like propofol, but gets redistributed in to fat. it is then very slowly released (producing non clinical plasma levels) by the fat and metaboded by the liver. therefore, in skinny dogs where there is not much fat, there is more 'free' drug circulating which gives a slower recovery.

It lasts 10-15mins usually, but can be 20 or a bit longer. You can give topups but it is cumulatative so the more you give the the more potent the effects, and thus longer recovery. if you have no choice just use as little as possible and monitor closely.

Of of course oxygen is ideal but you just have to work with what you have! Hopefully you will be working with lots of people experienced in using the protocol.

RE: Thiopental

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 09:16:09 GMT

Any chance they can use xylazine/ketamine? Much less fiddly, very safe, and my combo of choice when on neuter/spay trips in developing countries.

RE: Thiopental

Tracy Windler RVN — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 22:35:32 GMT

I only used it as a very fresh student nurse for the first year, but I thought it was metabolised by fat , so took a long time to be metabolised by thinner /leaner dogs? Greyhounds etc take longer to wake up. There's a fair chance I am wrong, though!

RE: Thiopental

Sal the 1st — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 21:18:15 GMT

thio top ups, small amounts as needed = long recovery.

RE: Thiopental

monkeybrains13 — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 14:11:13 GMT

Thanks so much for the advice! The biggest concerns I have is theres no gaseous anesthesia or O2! So I'm guessing to give the thiopental dose slowly over the whole procedure or do we have to give it in one go?

im very much looking forward to the trip, hopefully will be more as ease with thio by the time I return back to England

RE: Thiopental

Sal the 1st — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 10:45:10 GMT

is it really that long? but then when I thought about it is probably 8yrs since I last used it how time flies.

To OP I am sure all will be well. Yes it is irritant peri vascularly - and if it blows inject the area with saline and yes it redistributes to fat so fat animals would wake up post op and then may go back to sleep, but in saying all that I found it to be a really smooth anasthetic

.From the other side as a patient - I would rather have this than propofol.

RE: Thiopental

Celine — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 22:00:12 GMT

OooOoooh yes many moons ago.... I remember something about it being retained in fat? So had to be careful with fat dogs? (I guess unlikely to be a problem with a charity trip...) and not great with brachycephalics... Basically just seems to have a more profound effect so I think I remember I didn't turn on the gaseous agent for a few minutes after induction... 2.5% was not a disaster going extravenous but 5% is nasty

It will all be fine, the people you are working with will be well versed in using it, have fun!!

RE: Thiopental

Nicola Smith — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 21:11:20 GMT

Used it many.moons ago. Make sure goes iv or you get awful sloughing. If it does inadvertently not go iv try to dilute it down. Expect much longer effect hence longer recoveries and avoid in sight hounds.