Comparison Of The Anesthesia Effects Of Ketamine, Dexmedetomidine And Tiletamine-Zolazepam With Or Without Tramadol In Cats

This study investigated the analgesia effects of intramuscular injection of ketamine, dexmedetomidine and tiletamine-zolazepam combined with tramadol (KDZT) and compared the efficacy of this combination with that of ketamine, dexmedetomidine and tiletamine-zolazepam (KDZ) in Chinese local mongrel cats. Ten cats were tested twice as a comparison between the two groups, and the interval between the two groups was more than a week. The animals received ketamine (10 mg/kg), dexmedetomidine (10 mu g/kg) and zoletil (5 mg/kg) combined with or without tramadol (2 mg/kg) for anesthesia in separate tests. Heart rate, respiration rate, non-invasive systolic pressure, hemoglobin oxygen saturation, rectal temperature, subjective pain scores and venous blood-gas were measured simultaneously. The induction time, recovery time of the righting reflex, standing and walking, the time during the anesthesia period were recorded. Cardiopulmonary variables changed after injection, some of which were significantly different from baselines before anesthesia induction. Values regarding blood gas changed after intramuscular administration, and significant differences were found between two groups at one of the timepoints. Both KDZT and KDZ provided adequate analgesia in cats. The induction period of two anesthetic mixtures was within 1-3 min and could effectively maintain anesthesia for 75-175 min. The change of physiological parameters remained within a biologically acceptable range and was not significantly different between the two groups. The use of KDZT resulted in better anesthesia, with shorter anesthesia induction period and longer anesthesia period compared with KDZ. No side effects were observed, no rescue analgesic was required.