Propofol with ketamine following sedation with xylazine for routine induction of general anaesthesia in horses.
Authors: Posner L P, Kasten J I, Kata C
Journal: The Veterinary record
Summary
# Editorial Summary Xylazine-sedated horses can be safely induced with a combination of propofol (0.40 mg/kg) and ketamine (2.8 mg/kg), according to this retrospective analysis of 100 client-owned horses undergoing routine general anaesthesia. Only 6% of horses required supplementary ketamine, no animals developed apnoea, and adverse events were notably absent across the cohort, regardless of maintenance technique (isoflurane or GKX infusion). Recovery proved largely uneventful, with 46 of 58 recorded horses characterised as smooth, and most standing within approximately 28 minutes of extubation. For practitioners seeking reliable, rapid induction protocols without problematic apnoea or emergence complications, this propofol–ketamine combination offers a practical alternative to other standard approaches, particularly when used following standard xylazine sedation protocols.
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Practical Takeaways
- •This propofol-ketamine combination following xylazine is a reliable, safe induction protocol for routine equine anaesthesia with predictable outcomes across varied patient populations
- •The low requirement for additional induction agents (6%) suggests the standard dosages are appropriate for most horses
- •Recovery characteristics were predominantly smooth and uncomplicated, making this protocol suitable for routine surgical work
Key Findings
- •Propofol (0.40±0.1 mg/kg) and ketamine (2.8±0.3 mg/kg) following xylazine sedation provided satisfactory anaesthetic induction in 100 horses with no clinically relevant adverse events
- •Only 6 of 100 horses required additional ketamine, demonstrating consistent drug efficacy
- •No horses became apnoeic during induction
- •Mean recovery time from extubation to standing was 27.6±25 minutes with 46 of 58 horses having smooth recoveries