title: Comparison of anesthetic and cardiorespiratory effects of diazepam-butorphanol-ketamine, acepromazine-butorphanol-ketamine, and xylazine-butorphanol-ketamine in ferrets.
abstract: Ten ferrets were used in a crossover study to determine the sedative effects of intramuscularly administered diazepam (3 mg/kg body weight)-butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg body weight)-ketamine (15 mg/kg body weight); acepromazine (0.1 mg/kg body weight)-butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg body weight)-ketamine (15 mg/kg body weight); and xylazine (2 mg/kg body weight)-butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg body weight)-ketamine (15 mg/kg body weight). All of the ferrets became laterally recumbent following the administration of each drug combination. The xylazine-butorphanol-ketamine combination induced significantly longer (p less than 0.05) durations of tail-clamp analgesia (mean+/-standard deviation [SD], 81.0+/-19.1 min versus 20.5+/-25.4 min and 30.0+/-26.9 min), dorsal recumbency (mean+/-SD, 94.6+/-13.6 min versus 75. 6+/-34.7 min and 55.2+24.8 min), and muscle relaxation suitable for endotracheal intubation (mean+/-SD, 67.1+/-23.0 min versus 7.0+/-22.1 min and 9.5+/-15.4 min) than the diazepam-butorphanol-ketamine and acepromazine-butorphanol-ketamine combinations, respectively. The recovery time from dorsal recumbency to standing was not significantly different among the three treatment groups. The heart rate was significantly lower in the xylazine-butorphanol-ketamine group; however, systolic blood pressure was not significantly different among the treatment groups. Ventilatory function was more depressed in the diazepam-butorphanol-ketamine and xylazine-butorphanol-ketamine groups than in the acepromazine-butorphanol-ketamine group. A period (approximately 45 minutes) of hypoxia was observed in the xylazine-butorphanol-ketamine-treated ferret. Of the three combinations evaluated in ferrets, xylazine-butorphanol-ketamine was concluded to be the most effective anesthetic combination. However, hypoxemia and ventricular arrhythmias were observed in the xylazine-butorphanol-ketamine-treated ferrets, so the effectiveness of the xylazine-butorphanol-ketamine combination should be weighed against its cardiorespiratory side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610-0136, USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Nicklin
mesh_terms: D000075:Acepromazine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000662:veterinary*; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined / Q000494:pharmacology; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000494:pharmacology; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002077:Butorphanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D005289:Ferrets / Q000502:physiology*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D007649:Ketamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*; D014991:Xylazine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D014991:Xylazine; D000075:Acepromazine; D007649:Ketamine; D003975:Diazepam; D002077:Butorphanol