COMPARISONS OF SEVOFLURANE, ISOFLURANE, AND HALOTHANE ANESTHESIA IN SPONTANEOUSLY BREATHING CATS

The clinical effects of sevoflurane, isoflurane, and halothane anesthe sia with or without nitrous oxide, were compared in healthy, premedica ted cats breathing spontaneously during 90 minutes of anesthesia. The effect of nitrous oxide in accelerating the induction of and recovery from anesthesia was more evident for halothane than for sevoflurane or isoflurane. The cats recovered more rapidly from sevoflurane-oxygen t han from either halothane- or isoflurane-oxygen. Heart rates did not s ignificantly change during anesthesia with any of the anesthetics. Art erial blood pressures during sevoflurane-oxygen anesthesia were somewh at higher than those with either isoflurane- or halothane-oxygen. Ther e were no significant differences in arterial blood pressures among se voflurane, isoflurane, and halothane anesthesia when combined with nit rous oxide. The respiration rate during sevoflurane-oxygen was similar to that during halothane-oxygen. There were no significant difference s in respiration rate among sevoflurane, isoflurane, and halothane ane sthesia when combined with nitrous oxide. The degree of hypercapnia an d acidosis during sevoflurane anesthesia was similar to that observed during isoflurane anesthesia and less than during halothane anesthesia . The three anesthetic regimens, with or without nitrous oxide, induce d a similar degree of hyperglycemia and hemodilution during anesthesia . Serum biochemical examination did not reveal any hepatic or renal in juries after each anesthesia. (C)Copyright 1996 by The American Colleg e of Veterinary Surgeons