Intraperitoneal injection of sodium pentobarbital is associated with pain in rats.

Abstract

An effective and pain-free killing method is required to achieve the goal of euthanasia, a \"good death\". Overdose of sodium pentobarbital (PB) by intraperitoneal (IP) injection is a widely accepted technique, but questions remain regarding pain associated with administration. As PB rapidly causes sedation and loss of consciousness, most studies have relied on indirect evidence of pain. The objective of this study was to assess pain associated with IP PB using an appropriate vehicle control.\n\nAdult male and female Sprague Dawley (SD) and female Wistar rats (N = 112) were block randomised by sex and strain to receive one of four treatments: 1) 800 mg/kg PB (pH 11); 2) 800 mg/kg PB with 4 mg/kg lidocaine (PB+lido); 3) saline or 4) vehicle controls (pH 11 or 12.5). Behavior (Rat Grimace Scale [RGS], writhing, back arching) was evaluated at baseline, before loss of righting reflex (PB and PB+lido groups), 80s, 151s and 10 min post-injection (PI; saline and vehicle control groups).\n\nIn the vehicle control groups, the RGS scores were increased at 151s PI (SD: p = 0.0008, 95%CI -0.731 to -0.202) from baseline, as was relative frequency of writhing (SD: p 0.05). The RGS scores and the relative frequency of writhing remained low in the PB, PB+lido and saline groups (p > 0.05). Back arching increased from baseline in the PB+lido group before loss of righting reflex and in the vehicle control group (SD rats) at 151s PI (p < 0.05).\n\nThese results show that IP PB results in signs associated with pain. The sedative effects of PB limit behavioral assessment.