SEDATION AND ANESTHESIA IN DOGS AND CATS WITH CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE

The purpose of this study was to review the effects of sedatives and a nesthetics in 137 dogs and 13 cats with congenital or acquired heart d isease which were referred for diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical i nterventions: correction of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA-ligation, 28 %), cardiac catheterization with angiogram and angioplasty (22%), pace maker implantation (18%), exploratory lateral thoracotomy (8.7%), corr ection of right aortic arch (ring anomaly, 3.3%), correction of subval vular aortic stenosis (2.7%), correction of PDA with coil in patients with mitral regurgitation and congestive heart failure (2%), pericarde ctomy and removal of heart-base tumors (2%), palliative surgery for ve ntricular septal defect (VSD, 0.7%), and sick patients with deleteriou s cardiac arrhythmias (0.7%). The anesthetic plan considered the risks of anesthesia based upon preoperative patient assessment, classificat ion scheme for functional phases of heart failure, and anesthetic drug effects on the cardiovascular system. The effects of sedatives and an esthetic drugs on deteminants of cardiac output are described. The mos t-commonly used drugs for premedication, induction, and maintenance of anesthesia were midazolam-oxymorphone (20%), thiopental or etomidate (30%), and isoflurane (64%). Prompt therapy was given to control arrhy thmias and provide organ perfusion, pain relief, muscle relaxation and renal diuresis, using lidocaine, dopamine, fentanyl, atracurium, and furosemide in 17.3%, 14.7%, 12%, 10%, and 8.7% of animals respectively . Methods of routine and advanced patient monitoring are described.