Propofol with ketamine following sedation with xylazine for routine induction of general anaesthesia in horses.

The research aimed to assess the effectiveness of intravenous propofol and ketamine following xylazine sedation for inducing general anaesthesia in horses, which was found satisfactory with no significant adverse events.

Study Methodology

• Over the course of this retrospective study, the anaesthetic records of 100 client-owned horses were evaluated. Attributes considered in the evaluation included the animals’ signalment, anaesthetic drugs and their respective dosages, the necessity for extra induction agents, any notes on adverse events, duration of anaesthesia, and recovery characteristics.
• Horses were sedated with xylazine, and some also received intravenous butorphanol. Anaesthesia was then induced with a combination of propofol and ketamine. Six of these horses required extra ketamine. During the course of this study, no adverse events took place nor did any of the horses become apnoeic.

Anaesthesia Maintenance and Recovery

• The anaesthesia was maintained using isoflurane in 66 of the horses, while the remaining 34 horses received a combination of guaifenesin, ketamine, and xylazine (GKX). The total duration of anaesthesia was approximately 125.4±(46) minutes on average.
• Around 51 horses were administered romifidine intravenously during recovery. The average time for a horse to stand post orotracheal extubation operation was recorded as 27.6±(25) minutes.
• Out of the 58 records reporting recovery characteristics, results were classified under the categories: rapid recovery (6 horses), prolonged recovery (3 horses), smooth recovery (46 horses), and rough recovery (6 horses).

Study Conclusion

• The research concluded that employing a combination of propofol and ketamine to induce anaesthesia following xylazine sedation yielded satisfactory results in a diverse array of horses.
• No clinically substantial adverse events were recorded, thus the use of these substances was deemed safe and efficient for inducing general anaesthesia in horses.