anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 12:44:13 GMT

I use 0.2-0.3ml xyalazine s/c, it works as predictably as Dom/Torb and can be reversed the same with atipamazole if necessary. Added advantage is it makes them vomit and at least 50% of cats that have allegedly been starved throw up a stack of food so reduces the risk of choking before intubation. Knock them out with 1ml propofol (I only use Alfaxan in dogs) but keep 1/2ml in the syringe which is taped on for rapid increment if they wake up too quickly, intubate (I think its inexcusable not too) and maintain on Iso. Everything is on resp. and pulse ox./heart rate monitor. Same for male or female. Never had an unexplained feline anaesthetic death since we switched from halothane back in the day.

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Andrew Mellor — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 08:02:22 GMT

[quote user="Charlotte Marshall"]

We use dom/torb/ket for all speys and castrates. i use it i/m for speys and i/v for castrates. If given i/v (at appropriate dose) you can reverse at any time. I give it i/m in the speys as I always think it doesn't last as long i/v but maybe that's just me, my boss gives them it i/v as well. We mask with O2, and iso if needed. We only tend to intubate if we are concerned for any reason or expect surgery to last longer than usual (eg vet student spey).

[/quote]

do you use i/m dose d/k/t for spays or i/v dose ?

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Mark Holmes — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 07:05:51 GMT

If you give the im dose of d and t and then k iv at the iv dose you get the best of everything. I'm for handling and also immediately reversible

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

nikki — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 23:53:57 GMT

we use DTK IV in cat castrates - can then reverse straight away. we only use it IM in unhandleable ones and then wait 45mins before reversal. o2 by mask.

for cat spays we use A/V premed and propoclear induction and tube them, maintain on iso/o2.

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Charlotte Marshall — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 23:28:41 GMT

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Mark Hedberg — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:35:30 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

[quote user="Mark Hedberg"]I'm a big fan of dom/torb/ket, we do it for cat spays and I wish we would do it for cat castrates[/quote]

Why do you do castrates differently?

[/quote]

Well, a cat castrate is a short op, and so a long anesthesia is not really indicated. And a cat that's asleep needs a nurse to monitor anesthesia so it's not really fair to keep a nurse tied up when she could be getting on with the vet for another op. So I can see both sides; I think from an induction point of view IM anesthesia is faster and simpler, but I do get the time factor as well. When the op is done, the cat can wake up quickly. And it's also true that in Uni they like the patient asleep as little as possible. Anesthesia safety and all that.

So it's convenience vs. nurse workload and anesthesia quality, in a short answer. And of course another big reason - the practice principal prefers we do it this way. :p

As he owns the practice and signs our paychecks, it seems appropriate to go with him on this one.

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:06:54 GMT

[quote user="Mark Hedberg"]I'm a big fan of dom/torb/ket, we do it for cat spays and I wish we would do it for cat castrates[/quote]

Why do you do castrates differently?

[quote user="Mark Hedberg"]The reason I recall not doing dom/torb for premed was that dom is supposed to really push the blood pressure down, making it hard to get a vein sometimes.[/quote]

We use dom/torb as routine dog pre-med [0.1/0.1 per 10kg, s/c]. The dogs are nice and flat but never a problem getting a vein [although if you are not used to it, must give propofol very slowly]

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Mark Hedberg — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:03:36 GMT

It's funny, we were just discussing this in the practice I work in today, and then I log in to see this topic. :)

I'm a big fan of dom/torb/ket, we do it for cat spays and I wish we would do it for cat castrates - some of the more excitable cats are a big pain to do IV induction on. The reason I recall not doing dom/torb for premed was that dom is supposed to really push the blood pressure down, making it hard to get a vein sometimes. (That's total hearsay, I have not tried it that way so I don't know.)

In the previous practice I worked at we used IM injectables for pretty much anything that moved. It was certainly simpler than arguing with a patient over a vein. (Yes, I know it's not appropriate for everything, and I'm not saying this is the way to do things; just mentioning a different way they did things.)

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Richard Carter — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:42:02 GMT

Using triple i/m in same insulin syringe right down to 1kg/ 2 months old with really good results with dom dose slightly lower than on Torbugesic chart. only difference - don't starve small kittens and watch the heat/ recovery. don't intubate either - O2 supplimentation through mask until reversal taking effect, no laryngeal / regurgitation problems yet.....(iatrogenic or other)

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Andrew Mellor — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 15:15:10 GMT

I use dom,ket,torb, 0.04ml/kg+0.025ml/kg+ 0.01ml/kg iv with reversal immediately after with 0.02ml/antisedan, very few ill effects although I have had a few female excitable kittens that have just never seemed to settle afterwards almost as if revert to feral state, has this happened to anyone else, think i read an article somewhere about this happening in maine coons and to avoid all ketamine use in this breed.

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Simon Neuhoff — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:50:51 GMT

Triple combo i/m is my personal preference for young cats. I entubate the speys and have them on O2 only. I reverse immediately post op with 1/2 the volume of antisedan, they wake up part way and don't trip out on the ketamine.

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 13:18:17 GMT

I am a fan of Dom/Torb/Ket. IM dose given SC. Don't tube them, never needed to top up. Reverse them 45mins after injection so Ket out of the system.

As a student I learnt to spay cats with Domitor premed and IV Saffan, they had a nasty habit of waking up at the end.

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Alex Allen — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 11:13:18 GMT

Used all sorts over the years but favourite is intramuscular Medetomidine+butorphanol (or buprenorphine) followed by IV ketamine, intubated on oxygen as norm. Very easy and stress free inductions. Alpha2 and opiate works wonders IM even in stressy cats whereas the ACP+opiate was a little unreliable in the more stressed out patients. For the really feral cats then Ketamine IM at twice the IV dose.

Never used Alfaxan as wasn't around when I was last in practice so can't comment on that.

Alex, Virbac UK

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Mark Holmes — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 09:54:29 GMT

I use the standard Dom and torb doses for weight from the charts followed by the iv dose of ketamine given iv there is then no need to wait before reversal.

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 09:40:07 GMT

ACP/Vetergesic alfaxan (I wouldn't consider going back to propofol ) iso for all handlable cats. I do a lot of work for charities (I'm not really hard-hearted-just object strongly to being undervalued by private clients ), and use IV dose of triple IM, for heavy sedation, followed (if necessary ) by the teeniest, tiniest, smidgeon (given VERY slowly )of alf, then tube (spay ) and iso for ferals

Wynne

Re: anaesthetic protocols for healthy cat neutering

Clive Ansell — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 09:20:22 GMT

I prefer dom/torb/ket in healthy cats, and tend to use low or i/v doses im then Isoflurane as needed. always intubate speys. certainly when working in low cost clinics or with feral cats it is far easier and less stressful all round.