Abstract
The present study was performed to investigate the anesthetic or analgesic effect of tiletamine-zolazepam (TZ) and electro acupuncture analgesia (EAA) in cats. Twelve healthy cats were randomly assigned to receive either TZ or EA. TZ group cats with weight of $3.65{\pm}0.48kg$ received 10.0 mg/kg of TZ intramuscularly. EA group cats with weight of $3.62{\pm}0.52kg$ received 5V, 30Hz and 60 minutes of EA. The acupoints used were Tian-ping (GV-5, +), Bai-hui (GV-20, -). Therefore, after and before experiment, some serum chemistry profiles (alkaline phospatase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, glucose and total protein) and change of vital signs (rectal temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate) were examined. All cats were examined pre, and 5, 25, 65 and 105 minutes after administration of TZ or operation of EA. The cats in EA group showed a smaller change in rectal temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate than in the TZ group (p<0.05). In both groups, total protein concentration was constant throughout the period of anesthesia, and the serum glucose increased gradually throughout the period of anesthesia. However, the cats in EA group showed a smaller change in alkaline phospatase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase within the limit of safety than in the TZ group (p<0.05). While coming to induction, the TZ group took a mean $2.4{\pm}0.7$ minutes to achieve sternal recumbency, compared with $10.5{\pm}2.1$ minutes by the EA group, and $3.2{\pm}0.6$ minutes to achieve lateral recumbency, compared with $18.8{\pm}1.9$ minutes by the EA group (p<0.05). When recovering from anesthesia, the TZ group took $164.3{\pm}17.9$ minutes to achieve sternal position time, compared with $67.7{\pm}4.6$ minutes by the EA group, and $202.0{\pm}15.7$ minutes to stand, compared with $73.0{\pm}6.1$ minutes for the EA group (p<0.05). In this study, the cats anesthetized with EA showed a more rapid recovery rather than the cats under TZ anesthesia. Also, there do not appear to be any negative physiologic effects associated with acupuncture-induced surgical analgesia. So, it was considered that EAA may be used effectively in shock, debilitated cats, as compared to TZ.
