EPIDURAL MORPHINE IN GOATS AFTER HINDLIMB ORTHOPEDIC-SURGERY

Morphine (0.1 mg/kg) diluted with 0.9% saline to a volume of 0.13 mL/k g was administered into the epidural space at the lumbosacral junction in 10 halothane-anesthetized goats immediately before discontinuation of halothane. The same volume of 0.9% saline was given to control gro up of eight anesthetized goats. Both groups had undergone an orthopedi c procedure that replaced the anterior cruciate ligament with a patell ar tendon autograft. The appearance and unprovoked behavior of goats i n the morphine group were significantly different (p < .05) from the s aline groups. The goats in the morphine group were more sedate and str uggled less during recovery. Epidural morphine did not produce respira tory depression or bloat during a 9 hour observation period. Heart rat e, respiratory rate, and blood pressure (mean, systolic, and diastolic ) of the morphine group did not differ from those of the control group .