The aim of this work was to evaluate the alterations due to butorphanol administration in desflurane anesthetized dogs over heart rate (HR) and electrocardiography (ECG). Twenty adult dogs, males and females, clinically healthy were randomly distributed in two groups of ten animals each (GS and GB). General anesthesia was induced by intravenous administration of propofol (8.4± 0.8mg kg-1) and immediately, the dogs were intubated and submitted to inhalatory anesthesia with desflurane (10V%). After 40 minutes of induction, animals from GS received saline solution at 0.9% (0.05mL kg-1) and from GB received butorphanol (0.4mg kg-1), both applied intramuscularly. Observations of the variables heart rate (HR), duration and amplitude of P wave (Ps e PmV), P-R intervals (PR), QRS complex duration (QRSs), R wave amplitude (RmV), Q-T intervals (QT) and R-R intervals (RR) started immediately before the application of the agents (M0). Serial measurements were carried out in 15 minute intervals after the administration of butorphanol or saline up to 75 minutes, respectively M15, M30, M45, M60 and M75. Numeric data were submitted to Profile Analysis (p<0.05). Heart rate (HR) decreased significantly after butorphanol administration while RR and QT intervals increased. These results allowed to conclude that butorphanol administration in desflurane anesthetized dogs decreases heart rate and promotes a delay in ventricular repolarization.
inhalatory anesthesia; dogs; electrocardiography; opioids
