The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the epidural administration of dexmedetomidine in cats submitted to ovariohisterectomy, under continuous infusion of propofol. The cats received S(+) ketamine (5mg kg-1) and midazolan (0.5mg kg-1) as premedication by intramuscular injection, and propofol as induction agent (4mg kg-1), by intravenous injection. After that, the cats were intubated and kept on oxygen 100%. Subsequently the continuous infusion of propofol was initiated (0.3mg kg-1 min-1). The animals were divided into two groups, in the dexmedetomidine group (DEXG, n=6,2µg kg-1) dexmedetomidine was administered by epidural injection, and in the control group (SALG, n=6) saline solution was administered by the same way. In both groups the final volume was 0.26 mL kg-1 completed with NaCl 0.9%. Fentanyl administration was necessary at T10 in 33.3% of the patients. During the continuous infusion of propofol, the medial palpebral reflex was present in 66.6% of the animals of SALG and in 16.6% of the animals of DEXG. The eyeball was centralized in all the animals of SALG and 83.4% of the animals of DEXG the eyeball were with ventral rotation. Reduction of the heart rate was observed after anesthesia induction in both groups. The mean arterial pressure was significantly lesser at T0 and T5 in the DEXG and greater at T10 in the SALG when compared to the basal values. The respiratory rate was lesser in the DEXG at T20 and T30 when compared to SALG. The SaO2 and PaO2 were bigger from T5 to T40. The PaCO2 bigger values were observed at T5, T10, T20, T30 and T40 for the DEXG and at T5, T10 and T20 in the SALG when compared to the basal values. In the anesthetic recovery, 50% and 16.6% of the animals presented aggressiveness in the SALG and DEXG, respectively. To the wound pain threshold, it was observed that 33.3% of animals of SALG and 66.7% of the animals of DEXG received score 0 (without reaction). It was concluded that the animals that received dexmedetomidine administration by epidural injection, presented more stable anesthetic plan with greater analgesia degree in the peri and postoperative period, better quality anesthesia recovery, and without significant cardiovascular and hemogasometric changes.
cats; epidural; dexmedetomidine; propofol
