The Veterinary Record 157:139-143 (2005)
© 2005 British Veterinary Association
Comparison of xylazine and medetomidine as premedicants for cats being anaesthetised with propofol-sevoflurane
A. L. Selmi, DVM, MS, PhD1,
G. M. Mendes, DVM2,
B. T. Lins, DVM2,
J. P. Figueiredo, DVM3 and
G. R. Barbudo-Selmi, DVM, MS4
1 Universidade Anhembi Morumbi, Rua Conselheiro Lafaiete, 64 São Paulo,
SP, 03164-110, Brazil
2 Universidade Estadual Paulista, Distrito de Rubião Júnior,
Botucatu, SP, 18618-000, Brazil
3 Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Ohio State University, 1900 Coffey
Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
4 SQSW 304, Bloco G apto 107, Brasília, Distrito Federal,
Brazil
The effects of premedicating cats with saline, xylazine or medetomidine
before anaesthetising them with propofol-sevoflurane were compared.
Twenty-four cats were randomly assigned to three groups of eight to receive
either 0·25 ml of saline, 0·50 mg/kg of xylazine or 0·02
mg/kg of medetomidine intravenously, and anaesthesia was induced with propofol
and maintained with sevoflurane. Medetomidine produced a greater reduction in
the induction dose of propofol and fewer adverse postoperative effects than
saline or xylazine. Hypoxaemia was observed after induction with propofol in
the cats premedicated with saline and xylazine, but not in the cats given
medetomidine. The cats treated with medetomidine and xylazine developed
profound bradycardia. The blood pressure of the cats premedicated with saline
and xylazine decreased, but the blood pressure of the cats premedicated with
medetomidine was maintained. The cats premedicated with saline took longer to
recover from anaesthesia than the other two groups.
Copyright © 2005 British Veterinary Association
