PURPOSE: To assess the cardiorespiratory parametes, recovery, gastrointestinal motility and serum cortisol concentrations in horses anesthetized with isoflurane with or without a continuous rate infusion (CRI) of butorphanol for orchiectomy. METHODS: Twelve adult, intact, male horses weighing 332 ± 55 kg were included in the study. Xilazine was administered as premedication. Anesthesia was induced with ketamine and midazolam and maintained with isoflurane. Butorphanol (0.025 mg kg-1 bolus) or an equivalent volume of saline (0.9%) was given intravenously followed by a CRI of butorphanol (BG) (13 µg kg-1 hour-1) or saline (CG). Cardiorespiratory variables were recorded before (T0) and every 15 minutes for 75 minutes after the start of infusion. Serum cortisol concentration was measured at T0 and 60 minutes, and 30 minutes and 19 hours after the horse stood up. Recovery from anesthesia was evaluated using a scoring system. Gastrointestinal motility was evaluated before anesthesia and during 24 hours after recovery. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between groups in cardiopulmonary variables, or recovery scores or serum cortisol concentrations. A reduction in gastrointestinal motility was recorded for 60 minutes in BG. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous rate infusion of butorphanol in horses anesthetized with isoflurane did not adversely affect the cardiopulmonary variables monitored, or recovery scores. A small but statistically significant reduction in gastrointestinal motility occurred in the butorphanol group.

A anestesia obstétrica possibilita um procedimento mais seguro para a mãe e para os fetos. Em medicina veterinária, no entanto, a literatura científica a respeito do assunto é deficiente. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o grau de depressão neurológica, hemodinâmica e respiratória fetais provocado pelo agente anestésico, em que as mães foram submetidas ao parto normal ou à cesariana, utilizando-se sevofluorano como agente de manutenção anestésica, comparando-o com o parto normal. Foram realizados seis partos normais (GN) e seis cesarianas (GC), avaliando-se um total de 36 filhotes. As cesarianas foram realizadas utilizando-se acepromazina, propofol e sevofluorano (GC) e os neonatos foram avaliados clinicamente ao primeiro, quinto e décimo minuto de nascimento, nos dois grupos. Observou-se maior depressão respiratória nos filhotes nascidos de cesariana. Contudo, apesar dessa depressão, o protocolo anestésico empregado não comprometeu de maneira importante a viabilidade e a saúde das mães e dos filhotes, demonstrando ser seguro em cadelas gestantes.

The obstetric anesthesia must be safe for mother and puppies and about this, the literature is pour. This study was aimed at evaluating the neurological, hemodinamic and respiratory changes in neonates provoked by the anestesic agent as a result of normal parturition and cesarean section employing sevoflurane as the maintenance agent. Six deliveries (GN) and six cesarean sections (GC) were performed. The cesarean sections were performed under general anesthesia using acepromazina maleate, propofol and sevoflurane. Thirty six puppies were evaluated and the neurologic reflexes were worse in that were born through cesarean section. However, we concluded that despite the anesthetic depression, the protocol employed didn,t affect in any important way the viability and health of the mothers and puppies, being suitable for cesarean sections.