Diprivan® (propofol), the drug found in Michael Jackson's home

July 3, 8:48 PMPet Health ExaminerLorie Huston

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Diprivan® (propofol) was found in Jackson's home after his death.

Diprivan®,also known as propofol, is a potent anesthetic agent used in both human and veterinary medicine.

Michael Jackson's death and Diprivan®

It has been reported by numerous sources, including CNN, that the authorities located the anesthetic drug known as Diprivan® or propofol in Michael Jackson's home after his death. Accusations about Michael Jackson's alleged use of Diprivan® and his search for sources of Diprivan® have also been widely reported by numerous news sources. However, what may not be so commonly known is the fact that Diprivan ® (propofol) is an anesthetic agent which is commonly used in pets, in addition to its use in human medicine.

Diprivan® as an anesthetic for pets

Diprivan® is the brand name of the anesthetic drug known as propofol. Other brand names commonly available in veterinary medicine are Rapinovet® and Propoflo®. Many other brand names are available in human medicine.

Propofol (Diprivan®) is an injectable medication which is used to induce and/or maintain anesthesia in dogs and cats. Propofol has also been used in rabbits, rodents, pocket pets, iguanas, tortoises and snakes as an anesthetic agent.

Other uses of propofol (Diprivan®)

Diprivan is also used in veterinary medicine to control the seizures associated with status epilepticus and is being investigated as an appetite stimulant in dogs when used at very low dosages as well.

Side effects seen with Diprivan® (propofol)

Diprivan® (propofol) often causes respiratory depression and when administered rapidly in an intravenous fashion can cause spontaneous breathing to halt. This side effect makes patient support capabilities mandatory when using propofol (Diprivan®) and often veterinarians using propofol to induce anesthesia in a pet will place an endotrachael tube in the animal's airway to assist with breathing shortly after injecting the medication.

Other side effects seen with propofol (Diprivan®) include seizure-like activity during induction of anesthesia with the medication, which may require additional medications to control.

The pet's heart also can be affected by administration of propofol (or Diprivan®) and monitoring of the cardiovascular system is recommended when using propofol in pets, although propofol may be safer than many other anesthetic agents for pets suffering heart disease in some instances.

Safety of propofol (Diprivan®)

When used in the proper setting, with the proper monitoring and supportive capabilities in place, propofol is considered to be a reasonably safe anesthetic medication. It is not labeled for or recommended as an aid in insomnia in either people or pets, however.

The anesthetic effects of propofol in pets generally last approximately 20-30 minutes, making propofol a good choice for minor procedures requiring little time to perform or for induction of anesthesia which is maintained by gas anesthesia following induction of anesthesia with propofol.

Propofol provides little to no pain relief, so in painful procedures where pain relief is mandatory, other forms of analgesia may be necessary in addition to propofol during anesthesia and these analgesics may be continued in the post-operative period as well.

Diprivan® and other brands of propofol are often used in clinical settings but are generally not dispensed to be used in a home situation.