Comparison of the effects of intraosseous and intramuscular injection of midazolam and its antagonist flumazenil in pigeons

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

1 Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

2 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

3 Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

Abstract

Abstract
BACKGROUND: The application of sedation-anesthesia protocols is one of the key strategies in the veterinary clinical management of domestic and wild birds.

OBJECTIVE: The study focused on understanding the physiological effects of midazolam (5 mg/kg) given as intraosseous (IO) and intramuscular (IM) injections, as well as flumazenil (0.05 mg/kg), its antagonist, among pigeons.
METHODS: 24 healthy homing pigeons were randomly assigned to six groups. In the first, the only treatment was intramuscular midazolam injection (MIM). The second group was administered midazolam by intraosseous injection (MIO). In the third group, an intramuscular injection of midazolam was given, followed by intramuscular flumazenil (MIM-FIM). Group four received IM midazolam and IO flumazenil (MIM-FIO). In group five, both drugs were administered by the IO route (MIO-FIO). In Group Six, midazolam was given by IO injection and flumazenil by IM (MIO-FIM). The following parameters were assessed over 5, 10, and 15 minutes after the last injection: heart rate, respiration, and electrocardiogram (ECG).
RESULT: The findings indicate that the heart rate after 10 minutes of IO flumazenil administration was significantly higher than that of the MIO group (<0.05). The respiratory rate at 5 and 15 minutes in the MIO-FIO group was significantly higher than that of the MIO group(P<0.05). On ECG, T wave voltage at 15 minutes appeared quite distinct from that of the MIM-FIM group compared to the MIO-FIM group (P<0.05). It is concluded that both techniques of injecting midazolam provide good sedation without much reduction in heart rate and respiration, flumazenil is reversibly effective, and both methods induce a downward trend in vital signs, suggesting that IO is a little more efficacious than IM. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, the findings indicated that IO and IM midazolam and flumazenil injections are safe and reversible in pigeons and yield favorable cardiac effects.

Keywords

Iranian Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 19 May 2026

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