title: Arterial blood gas tensions and acid-base status of Wistar rats during thiopental and halothane anesthesia.
abstract: Arterial blood gas tensions and acid-base status of spontaneously-breathing, unanesthetized Wister rats were compared with values obtained during 4 hr of thiopental and 6 hr of halothane (1%) anesthesia. During thiopental anesthesia, marked respiratory depression occurred (PaCO-2:57.0 plus or minus 10.0 MM Hg, PaO-2:70.4 plus or minus 11.2 MM Hg). Thirty-six percent of the rats died. During inhalation of room air and 1% halothane, PaO-2 decreased also, whereas PaO-2 did not change. Twenty-seven percent of the original number of rats died. Lowered arterial oxygen tension may have caused death; no rats died during inhalation of oxygen and 1% halothane. This technic insured sufficient analgesia for surgical procedures without marked alterations of the acid base status and is recommended for long-term anesthesia of small laboratory animals like rats.
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium; D000698:Analgesia; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000662:veterinary*; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000097:blood; D001831:Body Temperature; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood*; D006221:Halothane / Q000009:adverse effects; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats / Q000097:blood*; D012119:Respiration; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality; D013874:Thiopental / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D013874:Thiopental; D010100:Oxygen; D006221:Halothane