To estimate the clinical advantages of oxygen-halothane (OF), isoflurane (OI) or sevoflurane (OS) inhalation anesthesia in horses, the qualities of transition to inhalation anesthesia, maintenance of surgical anesthesia and recovery from anesthesia were examined by using scoring systems in 212 clinical cases receiving various surgeries. Surgical anesthesia was maintained with OF anesthesia in 127 horses, with OI anesthesia in 31 horses, or with OS anesthesia in 54 horses. The complications in the cardiorespiratory system during anesthesia were hypotension and hypercapnia. The incidence of these complications were similar in all groups, and these were improved properly by dobutamine infusion and intermittent positive pressure ventilation. The qualities of transition to inhalation anesthesia and maintenance of surgical anesthesia in OI and OS anesthesia were better than those in OF anesthesia. The quality of recovery from anesthesia in OF and OS anesthesia was better than that in OI anesthesia. OS anesthesia is considered to be good at both controlling the depth of anesthesia and recovery from anesthesia in horses.

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The incidence of apoptotic lymphocytes induced by anesthesia was analyzed in the pheripheral blood of the dog. Two groups of dogs were anesthetized for 3 hours; One was anesthetized with thiopental, halothane, oxygen and the other with isoflurane instead of halothane. Apoptosis of the lymphocyte was determined by chromatin staining with Hoechst 33342, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) -mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labelling (TUNEL), and DNA fragmentation assay. Lower levels of apoptotic lymphocytes were detected both in halothane and isoflurane groups (10±1.2% and 6±1.3% using TUNEL method, respectively) before anesthesia. After anesthesia, the decrease in the number of total lymphocytes in the pheripheral blood and the increase in apoptotic lymphocytes were observed in both groups (21±2.1% and 20±4.2%, respectively) after 24hr of in vitro cultivation. These results revealed that the lymphocyte apoptosis was induced by both anesthesia.

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A twelve-year-old female Shetland sheepdog was referred to our hospital for a large tumor mass around the anus. More than a half part of the external sphincter ani muscle should be removed to excise this mass. For the reconstruction of the anus, the levator ani muscle was used to avoid fecal incontinence. The function of the anal sphincter was quite good without fecal incontinence after the surgery, indicating this repairing procedure to be the choice of treatment in the patient with large anal masses.

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Three dogs suffering from nasal tumors received combined therapy with surgery, orthovoltage radiotherapy and chemotherapy using cisplatin. Disease-free interval and survival time of case 1 with chondrosarcoma (T₂N₀M₀) was 8 months and 21 months, respectively, Disease-free interval was 7 months in case 2 suffering from adenocarcinoma (T₃N₀M₀) Recurrence and intracerebral infiltration of the tumor were observed, and survival time of case 2 was 9 months. Although case 3 with anaplastic carcinoma (T₂N₀M₀) received surgery and radiotherapy, the dog died at two months after surgery due to severe anemia associated with babesiosis.

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