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A comparison of equine recovery characteristics after isoflurane or isoflurane followed by a xylazine-ketamine infusion.
Abstract: To determine whether infusion of xylazine (XYL) and ketamine (KET) for 30 minutes after isoflurane administration in horses would result in improved quality of recovery from anesthesia, without detrimental cardiopulmonary changes. Methods: Randomized, blinded experimental trial. Methods: Seven healthy adult horses aged 6.4 +/- 1.9 years and weighing 506 +/- 30 kg. Methods: Horses were anesthetized twice, at least 1 week apart. On both occasions, anesthesia was induced by the administration of XYL, diazepam, and KET, and maintained with isoflurane for approximately 90 minutes, the last 60 minutes of which were under steady-state conditions (1.2 times the minimum alveolar concentration isoflurane). On one occasion, horses were allowed to recover from isoflurane anesthesia, while on the other, XYL and KET were infused for 30 minutes after termination of isoflurane administration. Heart rate, respiratory rate, arterial blood pressure, pH, and blood-gases were measured and recorded at set intervals during steady-state isoflurane anesthesia and XYL-KET infusion. Recovery events were timed and subjectively scored by one nonblinded and two blinded observers. Data were analyzed using a restricted maximum likelihood-based mixed effect model repeated measures analysis. Results: Infusion of XYL and KET resulted in longer recovery times, but there was no significant improvement in recovery quality score. Conclusions: Under the conditions of this study, infusion of XYL and KET does not positively influence recovery from isoflurane anesthesia in horses. Conclusions: This study does not support the routine use of XYL and KET infusions in horses during the transition from isoflurane anesthesia to recovery.
Publication Date: 2008-02-16 PubMed ID: 18275487DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-2995.2007.00368.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article investigates whether a xylazine and ketamine infusion following isoflurane anesthesia improves recovery quality in horses, without harmful cardiopulmonary effects. The results showed no significant improvement in recovery quality and therefore the study does not support the routine use of xylazine and ketamine infusions in horses post-anesthesia.
Research Methods
- The research was conducted as a randomized, blinded experimental trial with seven healthy adult horses, aged around 6.4 years and weighing approximately 506 kg.
- Each horse was anesthetized twice in trials at least one week apart. Each time, anesthesia was initially induced using xylazine, diazepam, and ketamine, then maintained with isoflurane for about 90 minutes. The last hour of the anesthesia was under steady-state conditions.
- In one trial, horses were left to recover from the isoflurane anesthesia. In the other, xylazine and ketamine were infused into the horses for 30 minutes following the cessation of isoflurane administration.
- Throughout the procedures, heart rate, respiratory rate, arterial blood pressure, pH, and blood gases were measured. These were recorded during both the steady-state isoflurane anesthesia and during the xylazine-ketamine infusion.
- Recovery events were timed and the recovery quality was subjectively scored by a non-blinded observer and two blinded observers.
- Data were then analyzed using a restricted maximum likelihood-based mixed effect model repeated measures analysis.
Research Results
- Results demonstrated that the infusion of xylazine and ketamine resulted in prolonged recovery times. However, it was found that the infusion did not significantly improve the scored recovery quality.
Research Conclusions
- Based on these results, the infusion of xylazine and ketamine does not have any beneficial influence on recovery from isoflurane anesthesia in horses.
- The findings do not support the routine use of this infusion during the transition from anesthesia to recovery for horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Wagner AE, Mama KR, Steffey EP, Hellyer PW.
(2008).
A comparison of equine recovery characteristics after isoflurane or isoflurane followed by a xylazine-ketamine infusion.
Vet Anaesth Analg, 35(2), 154-160.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-2995.2007.00368.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. ann.wagner@colostate.edu
MeSH Terms
- Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / administration & dosage
- Analgesics / administration & dosage
- Anesthesia Recovery Period
- Anesthesia, General / veterinary
- Anesthetics, Combined / administration & dosage
- Anesthetics, Inhalation / administration & dosage
- Animals
- Blood Gas Analysis / veterinary
- Double-Blind Method
- Female
- Heart Rate / drug effects
- Horses / physiology
- Infusions, Intravenous / veterinary
- Isoflurane / administration & dosage
- Ketamine / administration & dosage
- Oxygen / blood
- Respiration / drug effects
- Treatment Outcome
- Xylazine / administration & dosage
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Gozalo-Marcilla M, Ringer SK. Recovery after General Anaesthesia in Adult Horses: A Structured Summary of the Literature. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jun 14;11(6).
- Aarnes TK, Bednarski RM, Bertone AL, Hubbell JA, Lerche P. Recovery from desflurane anesthesia in horses with and without post-anesthetic xylazine. Can J Vet Res 2014 Apr;78(2):103-9.
- Nóbrega Neto PI, Luna SP, Queiroz-Williams P, Mama KR, Steffey EP, Carregaro AB. Cardiorespiratory and antinociceptive effects of two different doses of lidocaine administered to horses during a constant intravenous infusion of xylazine and ketamine. BMC Vet Res 2013 Oct 9;9:199.
- Rioja E, Cernicchiaro N, Costa MC, Valverde A. Perioperative risk factors for mortality and length of hospitalization in mares with dystocia undergoing general anesthesia: a retrospective study. Can Vet J 2012 May;53(5):502-10.
- Henderson ARP, Valverde A, Koenig J, Sears W. Effects of anesthetic protocol, procedure, and recovery stall and interval on the quality of recovery in repeatedly anesthetized horses. Can J Vet Res 2025 Jan;89(1):17-25.
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