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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Dog with severe itching and twitching after spinal morphine injection

By Iff, Isabelle et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2012·Clinic of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Intensive Care·View original on PubMed

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Original publication title: Severe pruritus and myoclonus following intrathecal morphine administration in a dog.

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A 32-kg dog experienced severe itching at the base of its tail and limbs, along with twitching movements in its tail and hind legs after receiving a spinal injection of pain medication during surgery. Despite trying several medications to relieve these symptoms, including methadone and acepromazine, nothing worked until diazepam was given, which helped calm the twitching. Eventually, the dog's symptoms improved as the effects of the morphine wore off.

People also search for: dog itching after surgery · dog twitching after anesthesia · treatment for dog pruritus

Abstract

During epidural needle placement in a 32-kg dog the subarachnoid space was punctured and half the intended dose of lidocaine, bupivacaine, and morphine was injected. After recovery from anesthesia the dog showed signs of severe pruritus of the tail base and limbs and myoclonus of the tail and hind limbs. Methadone, acepromazine, ketamine, buprenorphine, and butorphanol were administered to control myoclonus and pruritus, but were unsuccessful. Diazepam was used to control myoclonus until the effects of morphine abated. During epidural needle placement in a 32-kg dog the subarachnoid space was punctured and half the intended dose of lidocaine, bupivacaine, and morphine was injected. After recovery from anesthesia the dog showed signs of severe pruritus of the tail base and limbs and myoclonus of the tail and hind limbs. Methadone, acepromazine, ketamine, buprenorphine, and butorphanol were administered to control myoclonus and pruritus, but were unsuccessful. Diazepam was used to control myoclonus until the effects of morphine abated.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23450863/