Electroencephalographic power dynamics as early indicator of reduction in depth of anesthesia in a dog.

EEG spectrogram changes detect inadequate anesthetic depth minutes before clinical signs.

This case report documents the use of single-channel prefrontal electroencephalography (EEG) to detect early signs of inadequate anesthetic depth in a 6-month-old Golden Retriever undergoing cystoscopic ablation of bilateral ectopic ureters. The dog was maintained on isoflurane anesthesia with epidural analgesia. After 99 minutes of stable anesthesia, EEG spectrogram analysis revealed a marked reduction in delta and theta power frequencies with simultaneous increase in beta and gamma power. These EEG changes preceded clinical signs of inadequate depth by several minutes, as traditional indicators (palpebral reflex, eye position, jaw tone, and cardiovascular variables) remained unchanged. Four minutes after the EEG changes, the dog demonstrated purposeful limb movements. Following propofol administration and increased isoflurane concentration, anesthesia deepened appropriately with uneventful recovery. This case demonstrates that real-time EEG spectrogram assessment may provide earlier detection of reduced anesthetic depth compared to conventional clinical and physiologic monitoring alone, potentially allowing for more timely interventions in veterinary anesthesia practice.

This summary was distilled by AI and may occasionally misinterpret data. Confirm critical details with the primary literature before clinical application.