• Andrew M Bell, Adam Auckburally, Patricia Pawson, E Marian Scott, and Derek Flaherty.
• Anaesthesia Group, Institute of Comparative Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK. a.bell@vet.gla.ac.uk
• Vet Anaesth Analg. 2011 Jan 1;38(1):15-23.

ObjectiveTo assess as premedicants, the sedative, cardiorespiratory and propofol-sparing effects in dogs of dexmedetomidine and buprenorphine compared to acepromazine and buprenorphine.Study DesignProspective, randomised, blinded clinical study.AnimalsSixty healthy dogs (ASA grades I/II). Mean (SD) body mass 28.0 ± 9.1 kg, and mean age 3.4 ± 2.3 years.Methods  Dogs were allocated randomly to receive 15 μg kg(-1) buprenorphine combined with either 30 μg kg(-1) acepromazine (group 1), 62.5 μg m(-2) dexmedetomidine (group 2), or 125 μg m(-2) dexmedetomidine (group 3) intramuscularly. After 30 minutes, anaesthesia was induced using a propofol target controlled infusion. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and oscillometric arterial blood pressure were recorded prior to induction, at endotracheal intubation and at 3 and 5 minutes post-intubation. Induction quality and pre-induction sedation were scored on 4 point scales. Propofol target required for endotracheal intubation was recorded. Data were analysed using Chi-squared tests, Kruskal-Wallis, one way and general linear model ANOVA (p<0.05).ResultsAge was significantly lower in group 1 (1.0 (1.0-3.8) years) than group 2 (5.0 (2.0-7.0) years), (median, (IQR)). There were no significant differences in sedation or quality of induction between groups. After premedication, heart rate was significantly lower and arterial blood pressures higher in groups 2 and 3 than group 1, but there was no significant difference between groups 2 and 3. Propofol targets were significantly lower in group 3 (1.5 (1.0-2.5) μg mL(-1) ) than group 1 (2.5 (2.0-3.0) μg mL(-1) ); no significant differences existed between group 2 (2.0 (1.5-2.5) μg mL(-1) ) and the other groups (median, (interquartile range)).Conclusions And Clinical RelevanceWhen administered with buprenorphine, at these doses, dexmedetomidine had no advantages in terms of sedation and induction quality over acepromazine. Both doses of dexmedetomidine produced characteristic cardiovascular and respiratory effects of a similar magnitude.© 2011 The Authors. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia © 2011 Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists.

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