Acta Vet. Brno 2008, 77: 251-256

https://doi.org/10.2754/avb200877020251

Changes of Vital Parameters after Administration of Butorphanol during Tiletamine-Zolazepam-Ketamine-Xylazine Anaesthesia for Joint Surgery in Miniature Pigs

P. Raušer, L. Lexmaulová, R. Srnec, J. Lorenzová, H. Kecová, M. Crha, T. Fichtel, R. Novotná, M. Dvořák, A. Nečas

Department of Surgery and Orthopaedics, Small Animal Clinic, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic

Received April 30, 2007
Accepted February 14, 2008

The study compares the effects of butorphanol in pigs undergoing joint surgery in tiletamine-zolazepam-ketamine-xylazine (TKX) anaesthesia. A total of 12 pigs were divided into 2 groups by 6 animals - BUT (anaesthetized with TKX combination and butorphanol) and CON (control group - anaesthetized with TKX combination only). All pigs were sedated with a mix of tiletamin-zolazepam-ketamin-xylazin, put into total anaesthesia using propofol, and connected to an anaesthesiology unit (O2-Air). For 40 min we logged the heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), haemoglobin saturation by oxygen (SpO2) and end-tidal CO2 concentration (ETCO2) values. Ten minutes after connecting to the devices, the pigs in the BUT group were intravenously administered butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg) in the total volume of 2 ml, or physiological saline in the same volume. The pigs in the BUT group had a lower (p < 0.05) HR in 5th, 10th and 25th min, and a lower RR in the 10th, 15th and 20th min. MAP, ETCO2 and SpO2 values did not differ substantially. Butorphanol can thus be identified as a suitable analgesic TKX supplement to anaesthesia of miniature pigs with minimum effect on vital functions.

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