The preventive effects of recombinant bovine interferon-alpha (rIFN-α) on the immunosuppression induced by anesthesia and surgery were investigated in dogs, rIFN-α was administered 24 hrs before operation and the chemiluminescence (CL) assay of the canine neutrophils, macrophages and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) was performed.
In dogs without rIFN administration, the significant reductions in macrophages and PBL activities were observed immediately after operation. However, in dogs receiving rIFN macrophage and PBL activities showed a significant increase from 1 day postoperation. These results sugggest that a rIFN-α pretreatment may prevent immunosuppression at the earlier phase of post-surgical period.

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The effect of surgery under halothane anesthesia on canine neutrophil phagocytosis was investigated. Twelve healthy female dogs were anesthetized with halothane for 20 min and underwent ovariohysterectomy under the same anesthesia. The canine neutrophil phagocytosis was assessed before and just after the end of 20-min inhalation of halothane, and after the surgery. The percent-age of latex phagocytic activity in canine neutrophils significantly decreased after the inhalation of halothane (p<0.01) and immediately after operation (p<0.001) as compared with the preoperative value. But there was no significant difference between the values of after halothane inhalation and those of immediately after operation. The decreased values recovered to the preoperative level in a day after the operation. The result suggests that canine neutrophil phagocytosis was mainly suppressed by halothane inhalation, and that the effect of surgery such as ovariohysterectomy might be minimal.

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The beat-to-beat variabilities were analyzed by the maximum entropy spectral analysis during inhalation anesthesia with halothane and isoflurane in 6 dogs. As the anesthetic concentration increased, the frequencies and amplitudes of peaks and each area in the low and high frequency bands (0.02-0.09 Hz and over 0.15 Hz, respectively) changed. In addition, these alterations between isoflurane and halothane showed different patterns. It is concluded that power spectrum analysis of beat-to-beat variability during anesthesia may be a useful method as monitoring anatomic nervous activities to control the cardiovascular system.

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