thiopental and Swine-Diseases

Miniature swine are useful as experimental animals for investigations involving major surgical procedures, provided that proper restraint and anesthetic methods are employed. The methods and drugs described herein are not intended to be all-inclusive but rather those found most applicable to a wide variety of studies with miniature swine at this laboratory. This report is intended primarily to guide those unfamiliar in handling miniature swine during initiation of studies with that species. For chemical restraint during minor procedures, diazepam, at a dose of 5.5-8.5 mg/kg im, has become the drug of choice. For surgical anesthesia, optimal results have been obtained using thiamylal sodium iv for induction of anesthesia and maintained by 0.5-1.5% halothane administered via an endotracheal cannula. Pentobarbital sodium may be used to produce surgical anesthesia but is generally unsatisfactory except for terminal procedures. Electroanesthesia, even with concomitant use of tranquilizing drugs, is difficult to control and results in very poor muscle relaxation.

Topics: Anesthesia; Anesthesia, Epidural; Anesthesia, Inhalation; Animals; Animals, Laboratory; Bloodletting; Chlordiazepoxide; Chlorpromazine; Diazepam; Droperidol; Electronarcosis; Fentanyl; Immobilization; Intubation, Intratracheal; Ketamine; Meperidine; Pentobarbital; Phencyclidine; Preanesthetic Medication; Punctures; Swine; Swine Diseases; Thiopental; Vena Cava, Superior

A technique for anaesthesia of Pietrain pigs using thiopentone or ketamine, ventilation with nitrous oxide and oxygen and muscle relaxation with pancuronium, is described. Bilateral adrenalectomy was carried out by a mid line laparotomy and details of the surgical technique are illustrated. Four of the 10 animals died 7--13 hours after surgery with a hyperthermic response.

Topics: Adrenalectomy; Anesthesia, General; Anesthesia, Inhalation; Animals; Ketamine; Nitrous Oxide; Oxygen; Stress, Physiological; Swine; Swine Diseases; Thiopental

A non-lethal procedure for identifying pigs apt to develop malignant hyperthermia is described. Susceptible animals were exposed to a variety of anaesthetic and other agents and it was shown that thiopentone sodium and CT 1341 (Glaxo) afforded a measure of protection against the development of the syndrome. Pretreatment with procaine did not prevent the onset of the condition and the administration of procaine when muscle rigidity was present failed to prevent a fatal outcome. The syndrome was induced in susceptible animals by halothane, chloroform, and a combination of halothane with suxamethonium. The effects of cyclopropane in susceptible pigs could not be predicted, and other tests showed that suxamethonium alone would not induce muscle contracture. Pretreatment with lignocaine failed to prevent induction of the syndrome by halothane.We believe that the porcine syndrome may result from more than one defect and that in one particular type the most effective treatment is immediate cooling coupled with the administration of sodium bicarbonate.

Topics: Acidosis; Anesthesia, General; Anesthetics; Animals; Chloroform; Cyclopropanes; Fever; Halothane; Ketones; Lidocaine; Pregnanes; Procaine; Succinylcholine; Swine; Swine Diseases; Thiopental; Tubocurarine

Topics: Anesthesia, General; Anesthesia, Inhalation; Anesthesia, Intravenous; Anesthetics; Animals; Atropine; Cyclohexanes; Ejaculation; Female; Halothane; Injections, Intramuscular; Ketamine; Lidocaine; Male; Methods; Semen; Splenectomy; Swine; Swine Diseases; Thiopental