The Clinical Comparison of Intraosseous and Intravenous Anesthesia (Thiopental-Na) in Pigeon

BACKGROUND: Intraosseous injection is a way of administration of drugs. OBJECTIVES: The clinical comparison of intraosseous and intravenous injection of Thiopental-Na. METHODS: First, all birds (twenty-six healthy pigeons) were split out into two groups randomly. Group A received 20 mg kg-1 Thiopental-Na by intraosseous route and group B by intravenous route. After one week that iInt J Radiat Biol, s needed for washing out the drug, group A received 20 mg kg-1 Thiopental-Na by intravenous route and group B by intraosseous route. The respiratory rate (fR), heart rate (HR) and cloacal temperature (T) were measured before (0 minute) and 1, 5, 10, 20 and 30 minutes after anesthetic drug administration. Reaction to injection, number of efforts for injection, duration to onset of anesthesia and different scores of anesthesia were checked. Returning from anesthesia in the two groups was recorded and compared. RESULTS: Statistical assessment showed anesthesia onset in the method of intravenous injection was significantly less than the method of intraosseous injection (P=0.003), and the fR in two groups was different in 1 min after drug administration (P=0.036). There was not statistically difference in other minutes for fR, HR and T in two groups (P >0.05). Statistical analysis showed that there were no significant differences in terms of number of efforts for anaesthetizing as well as anesthesia stage in both methods in different minutes (P>0.05). Also, no significant alterations were recorded for recovery time for both groups. There was not any visible lameness or pain for intraosseous route after recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Intraosseous anesthesia injection in birds is a practicable and fast procedure and comparable with intravenous route.