Gabapentin and alprazolam pretreatment enhance sedation and reduce propofol requirements but do not improve intravenous catheter placement in cats undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether pretreatment with gabapentin or alprazolam in cats increases sedation, facilitates intravenous catheter placement (IVCP), or reduces propofol requirements for intubation compared to placebo.

Methods: All cats that participated in this prospective, randomized, blinded, controlled clinical trial were admitted for elective ovariohysterectomy at a veterinary teaching hospital from 2022 to 2023. The cats were healthy, were ≥ 6 months old, and weighed > 3 kg. The cats were randomly assigned to 3 groups: group G received gabapentin (100 mg/cat), group A received alprazolam (0.125 mg/cat), and group P received a placebo. Ninety minutes after the pretreatment administration, premedication with acepromazine (0.02 mg/kg) and buprenorphine (0.02 mg/kg) was administered intramuscularly. Thirty minutes later, sedation levels, IVCP difficulty, and propofol requirements for intubation were evaluated.

Results: A total of 60 cats were finally included, with 20 cats in each group. Sedation scores were significantly higher in both group G and group A compared to group P, with no significant difference observed between group G and group A. No differences were observed in the difficulty of IVCP among the groups. Propofol requirements for intubation were significantly lower in group A (4.6 ± 1.2 mg/kg) compared to both group G (6.7 ± 2.4 mg/kg) and group P (8.4 ± 1.9 mg/kg).

Conclusions: Pretreatment with gabapentin or alprazolam increased sedation in cats undergoing premedication. Alprazolam reduced the propofol required for intubation, though neither drug facilitated IVCP.

Clinical relevance: The findings of our study can have implications for anesthesia protocols in feline patients.