Medetomidine and its combination with ketamine for balanced anaesthesia in rabbits

摘要

Medetomidine was given i.m. to groups of 5 rabbits at 100μg/kg body weight alone or in combination with ketamine at 10 mg/kg. The medetomidine alone induced sedation for 45.25±11.60 min, with recovery in 62.00 min, while the drug combination induced surgical anaesthesia that lasted for 56.75±3.20 min, with recovery in 86.25±7.92 min. A significant decrease in heart and respiration rates was recorded with medetomidine alone, and there was a non-significant decrease in body temperature in both groups.