Comparison of intranasal and intramuscular ketamine-midazolam combination in cats.

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to compare intranasal (INS) and intramuscular (IM) routes of administration of a ketamine-midazolam combination in cats. Study designRandomized block design. AnimalsTwelve healthy mixed breed cats (six males and six females). MethodsThe drug combination was ketamine (14mgkg(-1)) and midazolam (0.5mgkg(-1)). In the IM group, drugs were injected into quadratus femoris muscle; in the INS. group, the combination dropped equally into the two nostrils. Pulse and respiratory rates, peripheral haemoglobin oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) and rectal temperature were monitored before and at intervals after drug administration. Time to onset and duration of sedation and, during recovery to head up, sternal recumbency and recovery were recorded. ResultsThere were no significant differences between the groups in any time measured except for recovery to sternal recumbency, where time was lower in the INS than in the IM (p=0.034). Respiratory rate was greater in the INS than in the IM group (p=0.029), but there was no difference between groups in other physiological parameters. In both groups SpO(2) was low before and fell further during sedation. ConclusionsThe results substantiated that INS ketamine-midazolam can produce effective sedation in cats. Clinical relevanceIntranasal (INS) administration of ketamine-midazolam is atraumatic, and its use may avoid the pain of injection of ketamine combinations when this drug is used to induce sedation in cats.