Use of the anesthetic combination of tiletamine, zolazepam, ketamine, and xylazine for neutering feral cats.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the use of the anesthetic combination tiletamine, zolazepam, ketamine, and xylazine (TKX) for anesthesia of feral cats at large-scale neutering clinics.


METHODS
Original study.


METHODS
7,502 feral cats.


METHODS
Cats were trapped by their caretakers for a feral cat neutering program from July 1996 to August 2000. The anesthetic combination TKX was injected IM into cats while they remained in their traps. Each milliliter of TKX contained 50 mg of tiletamine, 50 mg of zolazepam, 80 mg of ketamine, and 20 mg of xylazine. Females were spayed by veterinarians, whereas males were castrated by veterinarians or veterinary students. Yohimbine (0.5 mg, IV) was administered at the end of the procedure. Logs were kept of the individual drug doses, signalment of the cats, and any complications encountered. These data were analyzed retrospectively (1996 to 1999) and prospectively (2000).


RESULTS
Of the 5,766 cats for which dosing records were complete, 4,584 (79.5%) received a single dose of TKX. The mean initial dose of TKX was 0.24 +/- 0.04 ml/cat, and the total mean dose of TKX was 0.27 +/- 0.09 ml. Overall mortality rate was 0.35% (26/7,502) cats, and the death rate attributable solely to potential anesthetic deaths was 0.23% (17/7,502) cats.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of TKX for large-scale feral cat neutering clinics has several benefits. The TKX combination is inexpensive, provides predictable results, can be administered quickly and easily in a small volume, and is associated with a low mortality rate in feral cats.
Williams
Lindsay S
LS
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610, USA.
Levy
Julie K
JK
Robertson
Sheilah A
SA
Cistola
Alexis M
AM
Centonze
Lisa A
LA
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary*; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D002369:Castration / Q000662:veterinary*; D002415:Cats / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000662:veterinary; D007649:Ketamine; D008297:Male; D013992:Tiletamine; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014991:Xylazine; D015041:Zolazepam
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D014991:Xylazine; D013992:Tiletamine; D007649:Ketamine; D015041:Zolazepam