title: Isoflurane sparing action of epidurally administered xylazine hydrochloride in anesthetized dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the influence of epidural administration of xylazine hydrochloride on the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane (MAC(ISAO)) and cardiopulmonary system in anesthetized dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  6 clinically normal dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dogs were anesthetized with isoflurane in oxygen after randomly being assigned to receive 1 of the following 4 treatments: epidural administration of saline (0.9% NaCl) solution or xylazine at a dose of 0.1, 0.2, or 0.4 mg x kg(-1). Experiments were performed on 5 occasions with at least a 1-week interval between experiments; each dog received all 4 treatments. Following instrumentation, the concentration of isoflurane was maintained constant for 15 minutes at the MAC(ISO) that had been determined for each dog, and data on heart rate, arterial blood pressure, respiratory rate, tidal volume, minute volume, arterial partial pressure of oxygen, arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide, and arterial pH were collected. The epidural treatment was administered, and 30 minutes later, data were again collected. From this point on, determination of the MAC(ISO) following epidural treatment (ie, MAC(ISO+EPI)) was initiated. Cardiopulmonary data were collected before each electrical supramaximal stimulus during MAC(ISO+EPI) determinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (+/-SD) MAC(ISO) was 1.29 +/- 0.04%. The epidural administration of xylazine at doses of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg x kg(-1) decreased the MAC(ISO), respectively, by 8.4 +/- 2.4%, 21.7 +/- 4.9%, and 33.4 +/- 2.64%. Cardiopulmonary effects were limited.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epidural administration of xylazine decreases the MAC(ISO) in a dose-dependent manner and is associated with few cardiopulmonary effects in anesthetized dogs.
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Técnica Cirúrgica e Anestesiologia, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Vital Brazil Filho, 64, CEP 24230-340, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joao Henrique N
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Fabio O
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Ascoli
authors.forename: Isabela D F
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Gremiao
authors.forename: Ignacio A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Gomez de Segura
authors.forename: Firmino
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marsico Filho
mesh_terms: D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000662:veterinary*; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D007530:Isoflurane / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000187:drug effects; D014991:Xylazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D014991:Xylazine; D007530:Isoflurane