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→Thiopental
The commercial preparation is a sodium salt which requires dilution in water or saline. The resulting solution has a strong alkaline pH which is extremely irritant and if injected extravascularly it causes tissue necrosis and skin sloughing. It is best to inject via an intravenous catheter but if it is injected subcutaneously, then bathe immediately with saline and lidocaine solution which will cause a local vasodilation and help dissipate the subcutaneous thiopental.
The commercial preparation is a sodium salt which requires dilution in water or saline. The resulting solution has a strong alkaline pH which is extremely irritant and if injected extravascularly it causes tissue necrosis and skin sloughing. It is best to inject via an intravenous catheter but if it is injected subcutaneously, then bathe immediately with saline and lidocaine solution which will cause a local vasodilation and help dissipate the subcutaneous thiopental.
Thiopental is highly protein-bound and so the dose should be reduced, or thiopental avoided in animals with hypoproteinaemia.
Care should also be taken in sighthounds as they do not possess the enzyme to cleave the sulphur molecule from the thiopental, which is the first stage of metabolism of the drug, and so recovery may be prolonged in these patients.
Care should also be taken in sighthounds as they do not possess the enzyme to cleave the sulphur molecule from the thiopental, which is the first stage of metabolism of the drug, and so recovery may be prolonged in these patients.