Effects of Using Tiletamine-Zolazepam With or Without Ketamine and/or Xylazine for Anesthesia in Cats

摘要

Three anesthetic regimens —Tiletamine-zolazepam (T) used as sole anesthetic agent, and bolus administration of tiletamine-zolazepam-ketamine (TK) and tiletamine-zolazepam-ketamine-xylazine (TKX) - were evaluated in six domestic shorthair cats using arepeated measures design with one week treatment interval, with the time of onset of anesthesia, duration of anesthesia, time to sternal recovery and standing recovery, vital signs, reflexes, pain response, and EGG findings as parameters. Onset of anesthesia was similar in all three treatments. TKX provided a significantly prolonged duration of anesthesia and recovery time compared to T and TK (p<0.0001). The vital signs were within normal for an anesthetized cat in all treatments. The heart rate was significantly lower with TKX compared to T and TK (p<0.0001) but an initial increase was observed in all three treatments eventually declining with T and TKX while it remained elevated with TK. The respiratory rate tended to decrease with time in all three treatments but did not vary significantly. The temperature decreased over time in all three treatments. Reflexes and flank pain response were also absent for a significantly longer period with TKX compared to T and TK (p<0.0001). Isolated ECG parameters were outside normal limits however, no cardiac arrhythmias were observed in all three treatments. The results of the study point to the possible use of TKX where prolonged anesthesia using parenteral anesthetics is desired although this also results toa prolonged recovery period.