Echocardiographic and Biochemical Assessments Following combinations of Acepromazine-Ketamine and Xylazine-Ketamine Anesthesia in Dogs

The present study investigated echocardiographic and biochemical changes following ketamine anesthesia induction in dogs sedated with acepromazine (0.2 mg/kg) or xylazine (3 mg/kg). Seven dogs of both sexes were assigned to this experiment with a mean weight of 20 ± 4.8 kg. Fifteen minutes after administering the acepromazine as pre-anesthetic medication, ketamine (3 mg/kg) was administered to 7 dogs in the group: Acepromazine -ketamine (AK). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured, and echocardiography was performed immediately before application of the sedative protocol (M0), 15 minutes after the sedation (M1), and immediately after anesthesia induction (M2). The second anesthetic protocol was performed one month later with the same seven dogs; group: xylazine-ketamine (XK). Non-significant differences were observed in SBP and hemodynamic variables such as cardiac index, shortening fraction, and ejection fraction, between groups at all time points evaluated (M0, M1, and M2). The SBP was significantly reduced after anesthetic induction in dogs in the AK group. It can be concluded that; both AK and XK protocols similarly reduce the SBP in dogs subjected to anesthetic induction. All anesthetic induction protocols maintained a stable CI in all pre-medicated dogs. None of the two anesthetic protocols which were evaluated promoted significant echocardiographic changes. Furthermore, ketamine and xylazine combination hurt myocardial function. On the other hand, due to their cardiac depressant effects, acepromazine and xylazine anesthetic integration should be applied with attention in ill cases.