Evaluation of propofol, ketamine hydrochloride and propofol, midazolam combinations for clinical anesthesia in dogs

Abstract

Anaesthesia is an indispensable pre-requisite to most of the surgical interventions, both in humans and animals, so that the surgeon can perform surgical intervention with maximum precision and sagacity. Anaesthetics are available for both parenteral as well as inhalation routes in canine surgery. Due to meager facilities available for field veterinarians in Pakistan, intravenous anaesthetics are preferred because of their early and safe induction. Ketamine hydrochloride has been the sole anaesthetic agent so far relied upon by the veterinarians for most of surgical interventions. Its unavailability or irregular availability in local market renders the veterinary surgeons incapable of performing any intervention on canine surgical patients. This situation compels the veterinary surgeons/ practitioners to look for some other suitable and safe alternative readily procurable from the market having better or an equivalent spectrum of anaesthesia. Propofol is a unique non-barbiturate, non-steroid, short-acting general intravenous anaesthetic agent.1 It is associated with a rapid smooth induction and a rapid recovery.2 More advantageously, it is readily available in the market. Anaesthetic stage duration of propofoland midazolam could be enhanced if used in combination with ketamine hydrochloride. This hypothesis lead us to study the anaesthetic efficacy of propofol in combination with ketamine hydrochloride and to compare it with combination of propofol mizadolam in dogs.