COMPARISON OF SEDATIVE AND CARDIORESPIRATORY EFFECTS OF DIAZEPAM, ACEPROMAZINE, AND XYLAZINE IN FERRETS

The sedative and cardiorespiratory effects of an intramuscular injecti on of diazepam (3 mg/kg body weight), acepromazine (0.1 mg/kg body wei ght), or xylazine (2 mg/kg body weight) in ferrets (n=10, crossover de sign) was evaluated. Time from injection to assuming lateral recumbenc y was not significantly different between the three drugs. Duration of recumbency expressed as mean+/-standard deviation was significantly l onger with xylazine (68.3+/-20.8 min) than with diazepam (43.2+/-8.2 m in) or acepromazine (49.8+/-11.2 min), Sedation was graded to be the b est in the xylazine-treated ferrets and worst in the diazepam-treated ferrets. Analgesia was judged only to be present following xylazine in jection. Systolic blood pressure, oxyhemoglobin saturation, and end-ex pired carbon dioxide (CO2) were similar with all three drugs. It was c oncluded that, at the doses administered, xylazine provided better che mical restraint in the healthy ferret than either acepromazine or diaz epam.