Anesthesia of bulls undergoing surgical manipulation of the vas deferentia

Twelve bulls ranging from 341 to 545 kilograms in body mass were successfully anesthetized for either vasectomy or prosthetic vas deferens implantation with a combination of thiopental sodium, glyceryl guaiacolate, nitrous oxide, halothane and oxygen. Duration of anesthetic administration was 119.2 plus or minus 24.2 (S.D.) minutes. Righting reflexes returned 15.0 plus or minus 8.0 minutes after cessation of anesthetic administration and the bulls were capable of standing within 46.6 plus or minus 17.8 minutes. Interpretations of pulse rate, respiratory rate and eye reflexes were related to anesthetic depth and maintenance. A control mean respiratory frequency of 28.8 plus or minus 3.6 per minute compared to minimum and maximum frequencies of 26.8 plus or minus 5.1 and 37.6 plus or minus 6.3, respectively, during anesthetic maintenance. A control mean pulse frequency of 91.6 plus or minus 15.9 per minute compared to minimum and maximum frequencies of 84.8 plus or minus 13 and 102.3 plus or minus 13.4, respectively, during maintenance of anesthesia. Methods for avoiding complications related to anesthetic induction, maintenance and emergence were described. Specific pharmacological aspects of atropine, halothane and nitrous oxide were emphasized in light of their application to ruminant anesthesia.