Introduction

• Providing analgesia during and after procedures, especially surgical interventions, contributes to patient wellbeing and improved anesthesia outcome.
• Analgesia in guinea pigs is particularly important to improve the outcome of surgical procedures.
• It is important to give analgesics pre-emptively, as a more effective pain relief can be achieved (preventing 'wind-up').
• Furthermore, a major advantage of effective intra-operative analgesia is the reduced need for injectable or inhalant agents to maintain a level of anesthesia.
• In addition to anesthetic dose reduction, pre-emptive analgesia reduces post-operative recovery time due to enhanced locomotion and increased appetite.

Approach

Analgesic drugs for the guinea pig (for the perioperative period)

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed Papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Oliver V L, Athavale S, Simon K E et al (2017) Evaluation of pain assesssment techniques and analgesia efficacy in a female guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) model of surgical pain. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 56 (4), 425-435 PubMed.
• Schmitz S, Tacke S, Guth B et al (2016) Comparison of physiological parameters and anaesthesia specific observations during isoflurane, ketamine-xylazine or medetomidine-midazolam-fentanyl anaesthesia in male guinea pigs. PLOS ONE 11 (9), e0161258 PubMed.
• Hawkins M G (2014) Advances in exotic mammal clinical therapeutics. J Exot Pet Med 23, 39-49 VetMedResource.
• Wenger S (2012) Anesthesia and analgesia in rabbits and rodents. J Exotic Pet Med 21 (1), 7-16 VetMedResource.
• ACLAM Task Force Members, Kohn D F, Martin T E et al (2007) Public statement: guidelines for the assessment and management of pain in rodents and rabbits. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 46 (2), 97-108 PubMed.
• Fox A, Gentry C, Patel S et al (2003) Comparative activity of the anti-convulsants oxcarbazepine, carbamazepine, lamotrigine and gabapentin in a model of neuropathic pain in the rat and guinea pig. Pain 105 (1-2), 355-362 PubMed.
• Flecknell P A (2001) Analgesia of small mammals. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract 4 (1), 47-56 PubMed.
• Ohadi C, Litwin K L, Moreira H et al (1992) Antiinflammatory therapy and outcome in a guinea-pig model of Pseudomonas keratitis. Cornea 11 (5), 398-403 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• Plumb D (2015) Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook. 8th edn. Wiley Blackwell. pp 1296.
• Maguire S & Hawk C T (2012) Formulary. In: The Laboratory Rabbit, Guinea Pig, Hamster, and other Rodents. Eds: Suckow M, Stevens K & Wilson R. Academic Press, USA. pp 1193-1229.