Journal of feline medicine and surgery
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J. Feline Med. Surg. · Oct 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialClinical use of dexmedetomidine as premedicant in cats undergoing propofol-sevoflurane anaesthesia.
The purpose of this report was to evaluate the cardiorespiratory effects and efficacy of dexmedetomidine as a premedicant agent in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy anaesthetized with propofol-sevoflurane. Cats were randomly divided into two groups of eight animals each. Dexmedetomidine (0.01 mg/kg) or 0.9% saline was administered intravenously (D and S, respectively). ⋯ Premedication with dexmedetomidine reduced the requirement of propofol (6.7+/-3.8 mg/kg), but induced bradycardia, compared with the administration of saline (15.1+/-5.1 mg/kg). Recovery quality was significantly better in D but no significant difference in time to return of swallowing reflex was observed between groups (D=2.5+/-0.5 min; S=3.2+/-1.8 min). In conclusion, dexmedetomidine is a safe and effective agent for premedication in cats undergoing propofol-sevoflurane anaesthesia with minimal adverse effects.