Anaesthetic regimes for cataract removal in the dog

Dogs scheduled for elective removal of non-diabetic cataracts were assigned to one of four anaesthetic regimes. Thiopentone (Intraval Sodium; RMB Animal Health) or propofol (Rapinovet; Coopers Pitman-Moore) was used as the induction agent and with each agent half the animals were paralysed with vecuronium (Nor-curon; Organon Teknika) and ventilated mechanically, and half breathed spontaneously. Anaesthesia was maintained with halothane (Halothane-M&B; RMB Animal Health) and nitrous oxide (BOC) in oxygen. The use of muscle relaxants significantly improved the eye position and significantly reduced the lowest halothane vaporiser setting used during anaesthesia. Propofol produced a significantly shorter recovery time than thiopentone.