Evaluation of ketamine - droperidol anesthesia in dogs

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to observe the influence of anesthesia combined with ketamine and droperidol, compared both in bolus administration and in continuous intravenous infusion, following the effects on cardiac and respiratory function. The experiment was performed on 16 clinically healthy dogs that had previously been preanesthetized with acepromazine intramuscularly at a dose of 0.5 mg / kg. The dogs were divided into two groups (A and B). The group A (n = 8) was given the combination ketamine (8 mg / kg) / droperidol (1 mg / kg), intravenously, in a bolus, through the cephalic vein, in a time interval of more than 30 seconds. Group B (n = 8) was given the same combination and through the same vein, but in continuous infusion over a period of approximately 20 minutes. Ketamine and droperidol were mixed in the same syringe shortly before bolus administration. The study was repeated in 6 dogs, using only acepromazine, 0.5 mg / kg, to evaluate the influence of the preanesthetic on the results obtained in the 2 groups A (bolus) and B (infusion). The results of the study showed that the ketamine / droperidol combination should be used with caution in dogs pre-anesthetized with acepromazine, but the effect of anesthesia combined with ketamine and droperidol is better than that of anesthesia only with ketamine.