Cardiopulmonary effects and recovery characteristics of horses anesthetized with xylazine-ketamine with midazolam or propofol.
Abstract: To evaluate cardiopulmonary and recovery characteristics of horses administered total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with xylazine and ketamine combined with midazolam or propofol. Methods: Randomized crossover study. Methods: A group of eight adult horses, aged 7-22 years, weighing 493-740 kg. Methods: Horses were administered xylazine (1 mg kg) intravenously (IV), and anesthesia was induced with ketamine (2.2 mg kg) IV. Anesthesia was maintained for 45 minutes via IV infusion of xylazine (0.016 mg kg minute) and ketamine (0.03 mg kg minute) combined with midazolam at 0.002 mg kg minute (MKX), propofol at 0.05 mg kg minute (PKX) or propofol at 0.1 mg kg minute (PKX). Additional ketamine was administered if a horse moved spontaneously. Cardiopulmonary variables, blood gases, lactate concentration, packed cell volume and total solids were recorded before sedation (baseline), at 10, 20, 30 and 45 minutes during TIVA and 10 minutes after standing. Recovery variables and quantitative recovery scores were compared. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Additional ketamine was required for 50% of MKX horses. Systolic arterial pressure was elevated in MKX at 20 minutes compared with baseline (p = 0.043), at 10 and 20 minutes compared with PKX (p = 0.007, p = 0.024) and at 20 and 30 minutes compared with PKX (p = 0.009, p = 0.02). MKX horses (5/8) were hypertensive compared with PKX (1/8; p = 0.017). All horses became hypoxemic (PaO ≤80 mmHg; 10.7 kPa) during TIVA. Recovery variables did not differ among treatments. Conclusions: PKX and PKX had similar cardiopulmonary and recovery performance compared with MKX. PKX combinations provided superior quality of anesthesia to that of MKX. A combination of propofol, ketamine and xylazine administered as TIVA can be used in horses to provide anesthesia for short procedures. Supplemental oxygen is recommended.
Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Publication Date: 2018-08-11 PubMed ID: 30262441DOI: 10.1016/j.vaa.2018.07.005Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research examined the cardiopulmonary effects and recovery characteristics of horses anesthetized using combinations of xylazine, ketamine, midazolam, and propofol. The study suggests propofol-ketamine-xylazine provides higher quality anesthesia for short procedures compared to midazolam-ketamine-xylazine, despite similar cardiopulmonary and recovery performances.
Overview of Study Methods
- In this randomized crossover study, the researchers included eight horses aged between 7 to 22 years with weights ranging from 493 to 740 kg.
- The horses were administered with intravenous xylazine and ketamine, and then maintained with an IV infusion of the same along with midazolam or propofol for 45 minutes.
- Additional ketamine doses were given if a horse moved spontaneously.
- Cardiopulmonary variables, blood gases, lactate concentration, packed cell volume, and total solids were recorded at different intervals.
- Recovery variables and quantitative recovery scores were compared, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Study Results
- 50% of horses given midazolam required additional ketamine, and were observed to have elevated systolic arterial pressure at certain minimal intervals as compared to the baseline, and when compared to horses given propofol.
- More horses given midazolam became hypertensive, compared to horses given propofol.
- All horses across both groups became hypoxic during total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA).
- However, recovery variables showed no significant difference between the two groups.
Study Conclusions
- Even though recovery and cardiopulmonary performance of the two treatment groups were similar, the study concluded that the combination of propofol, ketamine, and xylazine proved to provide superior anesthesia quality as compared to the midazolam combination.
- The researchers recommended this combination for short procedures in horses.
- Considering the observed hypoxia in all horses, the study noted the need for supplemental oxygen during procedures.
Cite This Article
APA
Sage AM, Keating SC, Lascola KM, Schaeffer DJ, Clark-Price SC.
(2018).
Cardiopulmonary effects and recovery characteristics of horses anesthetized with xylazine-ketamine with midazolam or propofol.
Vet Anaesth Analg, 45(6), 772-781.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaa.2018.07.005 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA. Electronic address: skeating@illinois.edu.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Anesthesia Recovery Period
- Anesthesia, Intravenous / veterinary
- Anesthetics, Intravenous / administration & dosage
- Anesthetics, Intravenous / pharmacology
- Animals
- Cardiovascular System / drug effects
- Female
- Horses
- Ketamine / pharmacology
- Male
- Midazolam / pharmacology
- Propofol / pharmacology
- Respiratory System / drug effects
- Xylazine / pharmacology
Citations
This article has been cited 4 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).
- Otsuka T, Araki M, Mita H, Kambayashi Y, Yoshihara E, Ohta M. Total intravenous anesthesia with propofol-ketamine-xylazine with or without remifentanil in thoroughbred horses undergoing castration. J Equine Sci 2024 Oct;35(3):35-41.
- Le-Bert CR, Mitchell GS, Reznikov LR. Cardiopulmonary adaptations of a diving marine mammal, the bottlenose dolphin: Physiology during anesthesia. Physiol Rep 2024 Sep;12(17):e16183.
- Vullo C, Gugliandolo E, Biondi V, Biffarella M, Catone G, Tambella AM. Comparison of Detomidine or Romifidine in Combination with Morphine for Standing Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Horses. Vet Sci 2024 Mar 8;11(3).
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