The evaluation of anesthetic associations: atropine/s-ketamine/xylazine and acepromazine/ketamine-s/midazolam in domestic felines (Felis domestica)

Abstract

With the purpose to evaluate the anesthetic associations of atropine/s-ketamine/xylazine and acepromazine/s-ketamine/midazolam in domestic felines (Felis catus), 16 healthy males felines, submitted by their owners, were used. The animals were assisted at the Veterinary Hospital of the Superior School of Agriculture of Mossoró. The felines were distributed randomly into two groups, each one with eight animals, where a different anesthetic treatment was used. Group I was pretreated with atropine sulfate (0.044mg/kg) by a subcutaneous way, and elapsed 15 minutes, received xilazine (1.0mg/kg) associated with the s-ketamine (10mg/kg) through the intramuscular way. In the Group II, acepromazine (0.2 mg/kg) was used and after 15 minutes it was administered an association of midazolam (0.5mg/kg) and s-ketamine (10mg/kg), through the intramuscular way. Physiologic variables as: heart frequency, breathing frequency, saturation of oxygen and time of capillary completion, were appraised. The gauging of the variables was accomplished every 10 minutes, during 90 minutes. The periods of latency and analgesia as well the recovery were also evaluated. In the Group I, the mean of the latency period, after atropine/s-ketamine/xilazine administration was of 3.68min, while with the acepromazine/s-ketamine/midazolam it was of 3.95min. In the Group I, the average of the analgesia time was of 45.94min, and in the Group II the analgesia was determined in just one animal. The average of the recovery time in the Group I was of 134.08min and in the Group II, 78.28min. It was concluded that the association of atropine/s-ketamine/xilazine, produces an anesthesia of good quality in small surgical procedures, while the association acepromazine/s-ketamine/midazolam should be used for ambulatory small procedures. Both associations' present pharmacological properties comparable with those obtained with the racemic ketamine.