The effect of sevoflurane on fetal heart rate of 45-day fetuses was investigated through monitoring fetal heart rate by ultrasonographic evaluation in nine adult bitches aging from 1 to 5-year-old. After sedation with acepromazine (0.05mg/kg, IV), the anesthetic induction was accomplished using propofol (5mg/kg, IV) and the maintenance was kept with sevoflurane. The fetal heart rate was measured before sedation (M0), 15 minutes after endotracheal intubation (M1), at 30 (M2) and 60 minutes (M3) from the beginning of general anesthesia. The systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressures were obtained by indirect techniques, while mean blood pressure were also obtained by direct technique. The measure of fetal heart rate did not show any difference between M0, M1 and M2, but there was a remarkable increase in the last moment of the study (M3) comparing to M0, however without clinical relevance. The anesthetic protocol employing acepromazine, propofol and sevoflurane in 45-day pregnancy bitches decreased their arterial blood pressure without affecting the fetal heart rate.
bitch; fetuses; inhalation anesthesia; ultrasonographic; pregnancy
