Measurement of the activity of neuromuscular blocking agents by train-of-four and their effect on the coagulation profiles of dogs undergoing and ovariohysterectomy

Atracurium and vecuronium, which are short-acting non-depolarising neuromuscular blocking agents, were introduced into clinical use after 1980. These two drugs, which have a short-acting duration and fewer adverse side effects, have found widespread use.The aims of this study were to determine the onset of action and duration of three neuromuscular-blocking drugs. A total of 18 dogs 1-3 years of age and weighing 17.6 kg on average were evaluated in the study. The animals were divided equally into the three drug groups: Group A = atracurium, Group V = vecuronium and Group R = rocuronium. Atracurium, rocuronium and vecuronium were administered at 0.2 mg/kg, 0.2 mg/kg and 0.4 mg/kg, respectively via the IV route. After the operation was completed, the animals in the vecuronium group were treated with 2-4 mg/kg IV sugammadex and the reversal time of the drug effect was recorded. Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT) and fibrinogen (FP) values were measured. The PT showed significant differences between the atracurium and rocuronium groups (p less than 0.05).TOF neuromuscular blockage time displayed significant differences between the atracurium (35.6±7.7 min) and rocuronium groups (26.1±2.1 min) (p less than 0.05). The onset of neuromuscular blockage time for all three agents was similar; however, rocuronium had a shorter neuromuscular blockage time. As a conclusion, our results suggest that all three neuromuscular blocking agents can be administered routinely with inhalation anesthesia for patients undergoing surgical procedures in which muscular relaxation is needed.