Dose-response anesthetic effects of ketamine in the chicken.

Forty-six chickens were anesthetized with ketamine given IV at 12 dosages ranging from 1 to 160 mg/kg. The median effective dose (ED50) for greater than or equal to 15 minutes' anesthesia was 14 mg/kg. The median lethal dose (LD50) was 67.9 mg/kg. Analgesia adequate for doing major surgical operation was generally not apparent in chickens given doses less than 60 mg/kg. Side effects included muscle tremors which were unrelated to painful stimulation and flapping of wings which was common during recovery from anesthesia.