Effect on depth of anesthesia on serum electrolyte levels in dogs

Summary

Experiments were staged on 10 dogs under thiopental-ether and thiopental-nitrous oxide anesthesia at various depths without relaxants. Electrolytes K, Na, Ca, Mg, H and CO, were investigated.

It appeared that the least changes in the electrolyte level occurred in analgesia and at III¹, and the greatest —at III³ and III⁴. The largest change affected the K-ions, the least — Na. No considerable changes were observed in the pH and CO₂ levels. Electrolyte shifts depended mainly on the depth of anesthesia, but not on the type of anesthetic agent used.