Abstract
Objective
To evaluate the anesthetic and cardiopulmonary effects of xylazine–alfaxalone anesthesia
in donkey foals undergoing field castration.
Study design
Prospective clinical study.
Animals
A group of seven standard donkeys aged [median (range)] 12 (10–26) weeks, weighing
47.3 (37.3–68.2) kg.
Methods
Donkeys were anesthetized with xylazine (1 mg kg−1) intravenously (IV) followed 3 minutes later by alfaxalone (1 mg kg−1) IV. Additional doses of xylazine (0.5 mg kg−1) and alfaxalone (0.5 mg kg−1) IV were administered as needed to maintain surgical anesthesia. Intranasal oxygen
was supplemented at 3 L minute−1. Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (fR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) by oscillometry were recorded before drug administration
and every 5 minutes after induction of anesthesia. Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) was recorded every 5 minutes after induction. Time to recumbency after alfaxalone
administration, time to anesthetic re-dose, time to first movement, sternal and standing
after last anesthetic dose and surgery time were recorded. Induction and recovery
quality were scored (1, very poor; 5, excellent).
Results
Median (range) induction score was 5 (1–5), and recovery score 4 (1–5). Overall, two
donkeys were assigned a score of 1 (excitement) during induction or recovery. HR and
MAP during the procedure did not differ from baseline. fR was decreased at 5 and 10 minutes but was not considered clinically significant.
SpO2 was <90% at one time point in two animals.
Conclusions and clinical relevance
Xylazine–alfaxalone anesthesia resulted in adequate conditions for castration in 12
week old donkeys. While the majority of inductions and recoveries were good to excellent,
significant excitement occurred in two animals and may limit the utility of this protocol
for larger donkeys. Hypoxemia occurred despite intranasal oxygen supplementation.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 11, 2020
Accepted:
March 2,
2020
Received:
January 10,
2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
