Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
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J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. · Mar 2001
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialComparison of the effects of morphine administered by constant-rate intravenous infusion or intermittent intramuscular injection in dogs.
To compare physiologic and analgesic effects of morphine when given by IV constant-rate infusion or by IM injection to dogs undergoing laparotomy and to determine pharmacokinetics of morphine in dogs following IV constant-rate infusion. ⋯ Results indicated that administration of morphine as a constant-rate IV infusion at a dose of 0.12 mg/kg/h induced effects similar to those obtained with administration at a dose of 1 mg/kg, IM, every 4 hours in dogs undergoing laparotomy. Panting was attributed to an opioid-induced resetting of the hypothalamic temperature set point, rather than respiratory depression.