An evaluation of a combination of injectable anesthetic agents for use in pigs.

A combination of atropine sulfate, fentanyl/droperidol, ketamine hydrochloride and pentobarbital was examined for its effectiveness as an anesthesia protocol for swine weighing up to 50 kg. While the dose rate and route of administration of atropine sulfate, fentanyl/droperidol and ketamine hydrochloride was held constant, the dose rate and route of administration of pentobarbital was altered until a combination was determined which would reliably and safely produce a satisfactory level of anesthesia. Following treatment, animals were monitored and the time taken to produce an effect was recorded. The degree of anesthesia as measured by the corneal reflex and the cutaneous response to a needle prick or actual surgery and the time elapsed until signs of recovery were evident were also noted.We found a combination of atropine sulfate (0.05 mg/kg) intramuscularly and fentanyl/droperidol (1 mL/13.7 kg) intramuscularly followed by ketamine hydrochloride (11 mg/kg) intramuscularly approximately ten minutes later and 3% pentobarbital solution (9 mg/kg) intravenously two minutes after that, to be a safe and reliable method for producing surgical anesthesia of 45 minutes duration.