Anaesthetic and cardiorespiratory effects of romifidine/ketamine combinations in cats.
OBJECTIVE
To study the anaesthetic and cardiorespiratory effects of intramuscular (IM) administration of different combinations of romifidine and ketamine in cats.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized, cross-over experiment. Animals Seven healthy adult cats weighing (mean +/- SD) 3.4 +/- 0.7 kg and aged 4.6 +/- 3.2 years.


METHODS
Animals received romifidine 100 microg kg(-1) with ketamine 7.5 (R100/K7.5) and 10 mg kg(-1) (R100/K10), romifidine 200 microg kg(-1) with ketamine 5 (R200/K5), 7.5 (R200/K7.5) and 10 mg kg(-1) (R200/K10) by IM injection. The time required to perform orotracheal intubation (IT) was measured and the ease of intubation assessed. The onset of anaesthesia (OA), duration of anaesthesia (DA) and anaesthesia recovery times (AR) were measured. Analgesia and muscle relaxation scores were recorded every 5 minutes for 60 minutes after OA. Heart rate, systolic arterial pressure, arterial haemoglobin saturation, respiratory rate, end-tidal carbon dioxide and oesophageal temperature were also measured.


RESULTS
The IT, OA and DA were not significantly different between the treatments. The analgesia and muscle relaxation scores were similar between all treatments at most time points. The cardiorespiratory variables were not significantly different between the treatments in most cases. The adverse effects were dose dependent and similar to those previously described for other combinations of alpha(2)-agonists and ketamine.


CONCLUSIONS
Anaesthesia produced by the studied combinations of romifidine and ketamine may only be reliable when conducting brief and noninvasive procedures in cats. The OA times were slower and the DA shorter than those reported for other alpha-2 agonists combined with ketamine. A dose-related increase in the intensity of the anaesthetic effects could not be demonstrated in this study.
Belda
Eliseo
E
Departamento de Medicina y Cirugía Animal, Hospital Clínico Veterinario, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain. ebelda@um.es
Laredo
Francisco G
FG
Escobar
Mayte
M
Agut
Amalia
A
Mansel
Juliet C
JC
Soler
Marta
M
D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000662:veterinary; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002415:Cats; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male
D000777:Anesthetics; D007093:Imidazoles; D007649:Ketamine; C076257:romifidine