title: Rabbit analgesia.
abstract: With the increasing popularity of rabbits as household pets, the complexity of diagnostic and surgical procedures performed on rabbits is increasing, along with the frequency of routine surgical procedures. More practitioners are faced with the need to provide adequate analgesia for this species. Preemptive analgesia prior to planned surgical interventions may reduce nervous system changes in response to noxious input, as well as reduce postoperative pain levels and analgesic drug requirements. Concurrent administration of analgesic drugs to anesthetized rabbits undergoing painful procedures is warranted both pre- and intraoperatively as well as postoperatively. This article discusses the neuropharmacologic and pharmacologic aspects of pain in rabbits, and reviews current protocols for the use of analgesic drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 2112 Tupper Hall, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA. lsbarter@ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Barter
mesh_terms: D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000698:Analgesia / Q000662:veterinary*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D011817:Rabbits / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; D000700:Analgesics; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal