Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover Vergleichende Studie zur

Summary
Jennifer Offinger (2010)
Comparison of isoflurane inhalation anaesthesia, injection anaesthesia and high
volume caudal epidural anaesthesia in calves; metabolic, endocrine and
cardiopulmonary effects
Summary
In a prospective, randomised study, the effects of three anaesthetic regimes
(inhalation-, injection- and high volume caudal epidural anaesthesia) were compared
regarding analgesic qulatity, cardiorespiratory effect and endocrine-metabolical
parameters in calves undergoing umbilical surgery.
Thirty Holstein-Friesian calves (7 female, 23 male) aged 45.9 ± 6.4 days with a mean
body weight of 66.1 ± 6.2 kg were included in the study. Calves were randomly
allocated to three groups: The inhalation-group (INH) received isoflurane in oxygen
after induction of anaesthesia with 0.1 mg kg -1 xylazine IM and 2.0 mg kg -1 ketamine
IV, the injection-group (INJ) was treated with 0.2 mg kg -1 xylazine IM and 5.0 mg kg -1
ketamine IV injection, redosed every 10-15 min with half the initial dose of ketamine,
while the epidural-group (EPI) underwent a high volume caudal epidural anaesthesia
of 0.2 mg kg -1 xylazine, diluted to a final volume of 0.6 ml kg -1 with procaine 2%. All
calves received a periumbilical infiltration with local anaesthetic and a pre-emptive
application of flunixine IV (2.2 mg kg -1 ).
Preoperative parameters were initially determined in the standing calf. After induction
of anaesthesia, measurements took place in 15 minute intervals with the animal
restrained in dorsal recumbency. During the final measurements taken 30, 60 and
120 minutes after completing the surgery, animals were free to choose standing
position or sternal recumbency.
The endocrine stress response was determined through analysis of epinephrine,
norepinephrine and cortisol concentrations. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was
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