EVALUATION OF THE SEDATIVE AND CARDIORESPIRATORY EFFECTS OF MEDETOMIDINE, MEDETOMIDINE-BUTORPHANOL, MEDETOMIDINE-KETAMINE, AND MEDETOMIDINE-BUTORPHANOL-KETAMINE IN FERRETS

Ten ferrets were used in a crossover study to determine the anesthetic effects of intramuscular (IM) medetomidine (80 mu g/kg body weight), medetomidine (80 mu g/kg body weight)-butorphanol (0, 1 mg/kg body wei ght), medetomidine (80 mu g/kg body weight)-ketamine (5 mg/kg body wei ght), and medetomidine (80 mu g/kg body weight)-butorphanol (0, 1 mg/k g body weight)-ketamine (5 mg/kg body weight). All ferrets assumed lat eral recumbency within four minutes and remained dorsally recumbent fo r 100 minutes, until atipamezole (400 mu g/kg body weight, IM) adminis tration. All four anesthetic combinations were effective for chemical restraint, with the most respiratory depression occurring in the medet omidine-butorphanol-ketamine group. The addition of butorphanol or ket amine to medetomidine significantly increased the duration of analgesi a. The addition of ketamine to medetomidine-butorphanol expedited endo tracheal intubation.