COMPARISON OF TWO SEDATION PROTOCOLS FOR SHORT ELECTRORETINOGRAPHY IN CATS

DEL SOLE, MARÍA JOSÉ; NEJAMKIN, PABLO; CAVILLA, MARÍA VERÓNICA; SCHAIQUEVICH, PAULA SUSANA; MORENO, LAURA

JOURNAL OF FELINE MEDICINE AND SURGERY

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2018 p. 172 - 178

1098-612X

Objectives To compare two different sedative combinations, xylazine?ketamine (XK) and dexmedetomidine?ketamine (DK), on the short ERG protocol and their impact on sedative effect, reversal times and physiological variables in cats.Methods Six healthy spayed female domestic cats were sedated using one of two ketamine-containing protocols; intramuscularly xylazine hydrochloride (1 mg/kg) plus ketamine hydrochloride (3 mg/kg) (XK), and dexmedetomidine hydrochloride (5 µg/kg) plus ketamine hydrochloride (3 mg/kg) (DK). A short ERG protocol was recorded from the OS of each cat under XK and DK sedation. Thirty minutes later, the effects were reversed with yohimbine or atipamezole for the XK and DK treatment, respectively. The cats were evaluated for time to recumbency, time for head elevation, and time to standing position after reversal treatments. Other variables recorded were: systolic blood pressure, cardiac rhythm, heart rate, pulse oximetry, and respiratory rate. Recorded ERG variables included a- and b-wave amplitudes and implicit times under photopic, scotopic, and scotopic mixed ERG conditions.Results Time to lateral recumbency with XK was shorter than for DK (P < 0.05). After reversal, head elevation and standing position times were significantly longer for the XK than the DK group (P < 0.05). Heart rate increased and systolic blood pressure decreased from baseline in both groups (P < 0.05), but there were no significant difference between treatment groups. The b- wave amplitude recorded in the photopic study of cats treated with XK was lower than in animals treated with DK (P < 0.05). No other significant differences in ERG variables were observed between treatment groups (P > 0.05).Conclusions and relevance The present study shows that xylazine-ketamine and dexmedetomidine-ketamine treatments are chemical restraint alternatives for ERG recording in cats with only significant differences in the photopic b-wave amplitude.