Propofol is an intravenous anesthetic agent used for induction and maintenance of anesthesia but produces limited analgesia, and concomitant use of analgesics is necessary. The analgesic effect of butorphanol in somatic pain in cats anesthetized with intermittent doses of propofol was evaluated. Sixteen animals were randomly assigned to 2 groups. Control group animals were premedicated with IM acepromazine (0,2mg/kg) and after 15 minutes IV propofol (6mg/kg) was administered. Treatment group animals were premedicated with IM acepromazine (0,2mg/kg) and butorphanol (0,8mg/kg), mixed in the same syringe and after 15 minutes IV propofol (6mg/kg) was administered. In both groups anesthesia was maintained with repeated injections of propofol (3mg/kg) as needed, during 60 minutes. The need to complement propofol doses was determined by reactions to a skin pinch with a Kocher hemostatic forceps.Heart rate, respiratory rate, mean blood pressure, rectal body temperature and oxyhemoglobin saturation were also recorded. Administration of butorphanol caused minimal changes in cardiopulmonary variables compared to control group and did not affect duration of anesthesia and total dose of propofol or recovery period. We concluded that addition of butorphanol did not produce somatic analgesia during anesthesia maintained with repeated injections of propofol in cats.
cat; feline; anesthesia; propofol; butorphanol
