title: Medetomidine/ketamine anaesthesia in cats.
abstract: The medetomidine/ketamine combination was evaluated as an anaesthetic in cats undergoing ovariectomy. It was compared with acepromazine/ketamine, xylazine/ketamine and zolazepam/tiletamine combinations. 60 animals, divided into 6 groups of 10 animals were involved. Medetomidine highly potentiated the anaesthetic effects of ketamine and balanced the two main disadvantages of this drug: weak muscle relaxation and poor analgesia in deep organs. 80 micrograms medetomidine/kg--5 mg ketamine/kg provided a duration of anaesthesia longer than 1 mg acepromazine/kg--10 mg ketamine/kg, and not significantly different from those induced by 1 mg xylazine/kg--10 mg ketamine/kg or 7.5 mg zolazepam/kg--7.5 mg tiletamine/kg. Furthermore, it produced a better muscle relaxation than acepromazine/ketamine and zolazepam/tiletamine combinations. The analgesia in deep organs observed after medetomidine/ketamine administration appeared to be more substantial than that observed after acepromazine/ketamine or xylazine/ketamine combinations. The stimulating effect on heart rate of ketamine compensated the bradycardiac effect of medetomidine. Nevertheless, the administration of 80 micrograms medetomidine/kg--5 mg ketamine/kg resulted as with xylazine/ketamine, in decreasing heart rate whereas acepromazine/ketamine and zolazepam/tiletamine combinations did not exhibit bradycardiac effect. It was concluded that the medetomidine/ketamine combination provided a suitable anaesthesia for cats characterized by rapid induction, good muscle relaxation, good analgesia and bradycardia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verstegen
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fargetton
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ectors
mesh_terms: D000075:Acepromazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000662:veterinary*; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020926:Medetomidine; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D011897:Random Allocation; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D013992:Tiletamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014991:Xylazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015041:Zolazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000777:Anesthetics; D007093:Imidazoles; D014991:Xylazine; D013992:Tiletamine; D000075:Acepromazine; D007649:Ketamine; D015041:Zolazepam; D020926:Medetomidine