Effects of acepromazine-morphine and acepromazine-methadone premedication on the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of premedication with acepromazine-morphine or acepromazine-methadone on the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane (ISOMAC) and the incidence of bradycardia and hypotension in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective randomized clinical study. ANIMALS: Thirty-two female dogs undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy. METHODS: Dogs were randomly assigned to one of three groups: no premedication (CONTROL group; n = 9); acepromazine (0.02 mg kg(-1)) and morphine (0.5 mg kg(-1)) (ACPMOR group; n = 11); and acepromazine (0.02 mg kg(-1)) and methadone (0.5 mg kg(-1)) (ACPMET group; n = 12). All drugs were administered intramuscularly. Twenty minutes later, anesthesia was induced with propofol administered intravenously to effect. Determinations of the ISOMAC were conducted by use of the up-and-down method using a quantal study design to determine the MAC for the population. Cardiovascular variables were registered immediately before noxious stimulation that was performed approximately 30 minutes after anesthetic induction. The occurrence of bradycardia (heart rates ≤ 70 beats minute(-1) in dogs ≤15 kg and ≤60 beats minute(-1) in dogs >15 kg) and hypotension (mean arterial pressure < 60 mmHg) were registered. RESULTS: The ISOMAC in CONTROL was 1.20 ± 0.11%. Compared with CONTROL, the ISOMAC was reduced by 33.3% and 68.3% in ACPMOR and ACPMET, respectively (p < 0.001). The ISOMAC was lower in ACPMET than in ACPMOR (p < 0.001). Bradycardia was observed in 0%, 45% and 50% of dogs and hypotension was observed in 56%, 55% and 67% of dogs in CONTROL, ACPMOR and ACPMET, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The percentage reduction of the ISOMAC in ACPMET was approximately twice that in ACPMOR. Premedication with acepromazine-morphine or acepromazine-methadone increased the incidence of bradycardia. Hypotension was observed in most dogs during isoflurane anesthesia regardless of premedication.

Effects of a prolonged infusion of fentanyl, with or without atropine, on the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane in dogs.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of a prolonged constant rate infusion (CRI) of fentanyl on the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane (ISOMAC ) and to establish whether concurrent atropine administration influences ISOMAC in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, crossover study. ANIMALS: Six healthy dogs weighing 13.0 ± 4.1 kg. METHODS: Dogs were anesthetized with isoflurane under conditions of normocapnia and normothermia. Arterial blood pressure was monitored invasively. Each dog was administered two treatments, on different occasions, in a crossover design. The dogs were administered intravenously (IV) an atropine bolus 0.02 mg kg(-1) and CRI at 0.04 mg kg(-1) hour(-1) (fentanyl-atropine treatment) or no atropine (fentanyl treatment). For each dog, baseline ISOMAC was measured in duplicate using a tail clamp technique. Subsequently, all dogs were administered a fentanyl bolus (5 µg kg(-1)) and CRI (9 µg kg(-1) hour(-1)) IV, and ISOMAC was re-determined at 120 and 300 minutes after initiation of the fentanyl CRI. RESULTS: Baseline ISOMAC values in the fentanyl and fentanyl-atropine treatments were 1.38 ± 0.16% and 1.39 ± 0.14%, respectively. Fentanyl significantly decreased the ISOMAC by 50 ± 9% and 47 ± 13% after 120 minutes and by 51 ± 14% and 50 ± 9% after 300 minutes (p < 0.001) in the fentanyl and fentanyl-atropine treatments, respectively. Compared with baseline, heart rate decreased significantly in the fentanyl treatment by 35% and 43% at 120 and 300 minutes, respectively. In the fentanyl-atropine treatment, heart rate did not change significantly over time. In both treatments, systolic arterial pressure increased from baseline after fentanyl. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In this study, fentanyl reduced the ISOMAC by approximately 50%. The ISOMAC remained stable throughout the 300 minute CRI of fentanyl, suggesting no cumulative effect of the opioid. Atropine did not influence ISOMAC in dogs.

Effects of 8 hemodynamic conditions on direct blood pressure values obtained simultaneously from the carotid, femoral and dorsal pedal arteries in dogs.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 8 hemodynamic conditions on blood pressure measurements taken from the carotid, femoral and dorsal pedal arteries of dogs. ANIMALS: Six healthy dogs. METHODS: During isoflurane anesthesia, catheters were introduced into the carotid, femoral and dorsal pedal arteries of dogs to allow simultaneous monitoring of direct blood pressure in each artery. The dogs were submitted to 8 hemodynamic conditions induced by combining changes in heart rate (bradycardia, normocardia, tachycardia) with changes in blood pressure (hypotension, normotension, hypertension). Values obtained from each arterial catheter were compared and agreement between central (carotid) and peripheral (femoral and dorsal pedal) values were analyzed by the Bland-Altman method. RESULTS: During hypotensive conditions, systolic arterial pressure (SAP) was lower in the femoral and dorsal pedal arteries compared to the carotid artery whereas during normotensive and hypertensive conditions, SAP was higher in peripheral arteries. During hypotensive states, increases in heart rate resulted in greater bias between central and peripheral SAP whereas during normotensive states, the bias decreased as heart rate increased. Mean and diastolic arterial pressures were lower in the femoral and dorsal pedal arteries than in the carotid artery during most hemodynamic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: In healthy anesthetized dogs, invasive blood pressure measurements in peripheral arteries may differ significantly from measurements in a central artery. The greatest differences were observed in SAP and the magnitude of differences between central and peripheral blood pressure measurements varied according to the dog's hemodynamic condition.