Db. Church et al., EFFECT OF NON-ADRENAL ILLNESS, ANESTHESIA AND SURGERY ON PLASMA-CORTISOL CONCENTRATIONS IN DOGS, Research in Veterinary Science, 56(1), 1994, pp. 129-131
Basal plasma cortisol concentrations in 25 dogs with non-adrenal illne
ss were two to three times higher than in 25 normal dogs (158 +/- 25 n
mol litre(-1) compared with 65 +/- 22; mean +/- so). In addition, plas
ma cortisol concentrations were measured in 12 animals undergoing majo
r abdominal, thoracic or orthopaedic surgery and compared to a group o
f six anaesthetised dogs. Anaesthesia alone failed to significantly al
ter plasma cortisol levels, however, ail forms of surgery produced a s
ignificant increase in plasma cortisol concentration which returned to
normal 24 hours after completion of surgery.