[Intramuscularly administered non-opiate anesthesia in dogs. A report on the use of ketamine/xylazine, tiletamine/zolazepam, ketamine/midazolam and metomidine].

In the present paper, findings on the use of ketamine/xylazine, ketamine/midazolam, tiletamine/zolazepam, and medetomidine following intramuscular injection in dogs are reported. The combined use of ketamine/xylazine induced anaesthesia, the duration of which was thirty minutes. Untoward side-effects were not observed. Administration of tiletamine/zolazepam failed to induce a surgical level of anaesthesia. Recovery was prolonged. In this group, five out of the ten dogs showed signs of post-anaesthetic muscle spasms. Neither the combination ketamine/midazolam nor medetomidine induced a surgical level of anaesthesia. Post-anesthetic muscle spasms were a frequently observed side-effect when the combination ketamine/midazolam was administered. The use of medetomidine resulted in a qualitatively satisfactory and prolonged sedation.