Comparison of thiopentone/guaifenesin, ketamine/guaifenesin and ketamine/midazolam for the induction of horses to be anaesthetised with isoflurane.
Abstract: Forty-eight horses subjected to elective surgery were randomly assigned to three groups of 16 horses. After premedication with 0.1 mg/kg acepromazine intramuscularly and 0.6 mg/kg xylazine intravenously, anaesthesia was induced either with 2 g thiopentone in 500 ml of a 10 per cent guaifenesin solution, given intravenously at a dose of 1 ml/kg (group TG), or with 100 mg/kg guaifenesin and 2.2 mg/kg ketamine given intravenously (group KG), or with 0.06 mg/kg midazolam, and 2.2 mg/kg ketamine given intravenously (group KM). Anaesthesia was maintained with isoflurane. The mean (sd) end tidal isoflurane concentration (per cent) needed to maintain a light surgical anaesthesia (stage III, plane 2) was significantly lower in group KM (0.91 [0.03]) than in groups TG (1.11 [0.03]) and KG (1.14 [0.03]). The mean (sd) arterial pressure (mmHg) was significantly lower in group KG (67.4 [2.07]) than in groups TC (75.6 [2.23]) and KM (81.0 [2.16]). There were no significant differences in the logarithm of the heart rate, recovery time or quality of recovery between the three induction groups. However, pronounced ataxia was observed in the horses of group KM, especially after periods of anaesthesia lasting less than 75 minutes.
Publication Date: 2001-08-24 PubMed ID: 11517983DOI: 10.1136/vr.149.5.147Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Clinical Trial
- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
Summary
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This study evaluates and compares the efficacy of three induction methods for horse anesthesia, using combinations of thiopentone/guaifenesin, ketamine/guaifenesin, and ketamine/midazolam. The results indicate that the ketamine/midazolam combination requires less isoflurane to maintain anesthesia, but may cause pronounced ataxia, particularly in periods of anesthesia lasting less than 75 minutes.
Research Methods and Procedure
- The study tested on 48 horses that were to undergo elective surgery. The horses were randomly divided into three groups, each consisting of 16 horses.
- The horses were first premedicated with medications called acepromazine and xylazine.
- For the induction of anesthesia, the first group (TG) was given a solution of thiopentone and guaifenesin intravenously; the second group (KG) received guaifenesin and ketamine intravenously; and the third group (KM) was induced with midazolam and ketamine intravenously.
- Maintenance of the anaesthesia was accomplished using a common anesthetic called isoflurane for all groups.
Findings
- The isoflurane concentration required to maintain light surgical anaesthesia was significantly lower in the KM group (ketamine/midazolam) compared to the TG (thiopentone/guaifenesin) and KG (ketamine/guaifenesin) groups.
- The KG group experienced significantly lower arterial pressure compared to the other two groups, TG and KM.
- There were no significant differences observed in the heart rate, recovery time, or quality of recovery across all three groups.
- However, the KM group showed pronounced ataxia (lack of muscle control), especially when anesthesia lasted for less than 75 minutes.
Conclusion
- The combination of medications used for anesthesia induction in horses influences maintenance anesthetic requirements and side effects.
- The ketamine/midazolam combination was found to reduce isoflurane requirements, which could be beneficial in terms of drug conservation and cost, however, it was associated with a significant side effect of pronounced ataxia, raising concerns about animal wellbeing and safety.
Cite This Article
APA
Gangl M, Grulke S, Detilleux J, Caudron I, Serteyn D.
(2001).
Comparison of thiopentone/guaifenesin, ketamine/guaifenesin and ketamine/midazolam for the induction of horses to be anaesthetised with isoflurane.
Vet Rec, 149(5), 147-151.
https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.149.5.147 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Large Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Belgium.
MeSH Terms
- Anesthesia, Intravenous / veterinary
- Anesthetics, Combined
- Anesthetics, Intravenous
- Animals
- Female
- Guaifenesin / administration & dosage
- Horses
- Isoflurane
- Ketamine
- Male
- Midazolam
- Thiopental
Citations
This article has been cited 3 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).
- Tokushige H, Araki M, Kusano K, Arima D, Ito H, Yamazaki Y, Urayama S, Kambayashi Y, Tateno O, Ohta M. A retrospective comparison of induction with thiopental/guaifenesin and propofol/ketamine in Thoroughbred racehorses anesthetized with sevoflurane and medetomidine during arthroscopic surgery.. J Equine Sci 2019 Jul;30(2):25-31.
- Carmona JU, Giraldo CE, Aristizabal W, García A, Vallejo LG. Evaluation of the effects of the sedation with azaperone/acepromazine and immobilization with guaiphenesin/thiopentone in mules.. Vet Res Commun 2007 Feb;31(2):125-32.
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