Abstract
This study was conducted to compare the anesthetic effects of intravenous tiletamine-zolazepam(TZ, 7mg/kg TZ), tiletamine-zolazepam-xylazine(TZX, 7mg/kg TZ and 1.1mg/kg X) and ketamine-xylazine(KX, 10mg/kg K and 1.1mg/kg X). Fifteen mixed-breed healthy dogs($3.5{\pm}1.0kg$) were randomly assigned to the three treatment groups(TZ, TZX, KX) with 5 dogs in each group. The mean surgical anesthesia time was $25.6{\pm}4.2$, $62.6{\pm}6.2$ and $21.0{\pm}3.7$ min in TZ-, TZX- and KX-anesthetized dogs, respectively. The duration of the loss of response to toe-web needle prick and to visceral pain was significantly increased in the TZX group with $40.0{\pm}15.8$ min and $44.0{\pm}5.5$ min, respectively(p<0.01). Heart rate decreased significantly below baseline in TZX and KX groups(p<0.05, p<0.01) whereas it increased above baseline in TZ group. Respiratory rate remained unchanged or increased above baseline in TZ group, but decreased significantly from 10 to 30 min in TZX(p<0.01, p<0.05) and at 10 min in KX group(p<0.05). Body temperature decreased significantly below baseline in all three groups(p<0.01, p<0.05). Hematologic(PCV, RBC, WBC) and serum chemistry values(GOT, GPT, BUN, creatinine, total protein, glucose) were monitored before anesthesia, after recovery from anesthesia and 1, 3 and 7 days postanesthesia. All hematologic values remained generally within normal ranges, and GOT, GPT, BUN, creatinine and total protein values were within normal ranges during the period. Glucose values for TZX and KX groups increased greatly after recovery from anesthesia. We conclude that tiletamine-zolazepam-xylazine provides effective surgical anesthesia in dogs and in many cases may be preferable to conventional ketamine-xylazine regimen.