Anesthetic and cardiopulmonary effects of propofol in dogs premedicated with atropine, butorphanol, and medetomidine.

This study evaluated the anesthetic and cardiorespiratory effects of a combination of intravenous propofol (2.2 mg/kg), intramuscular medetomidine (22.0 pg/kg), intravenous butorphanol (0.22 mg/kg), and intravenous atropine (0.022 mg/kg) in healthy dogs. Anesthesia was characterized by muscle relaxation and analgesia. Heart rate decreased after medetomidine and propofol administration (131 to 113 beats/min) but returned to baseline after intravenous atipamezole (110 microg/kg). Mild acidemia, hypercapnia, hypoxemia, and decreased SaO2 developed after premedication. PaO2 and SaO2 were further decreased by propofol injection. In conclusion, this combination proved to be an effective anesthetic protocol for healthy dogs and should be adequate for minor surgical procedures.