The Veterinary record
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Six hundred horses of different ages, heights and breeds were weighed on a weighbridge and had their weights estimated by two weigh tapes, 1 and 2, by a formula, and by a visual estimate. For the population as a whole, the most accurate method was the formula (mean [sd] 98.6 [10.6] per cent) closely followed by weigh tape 2 (98.1 [8.1] per cent). Tape 1 and the visual estimate were the least accurate (112.0 [9.3] and 88.3 [20.1] per cent respectively). ⋯ For horses > or = 15 hh weigh tape 1 was most accurate (103.5 [9.1] per cent) and the formula, tape 2 and the visual estimate were 95.5 (13.1) per cent, 91.8 (9.2) per cent, and 89.3 (22.2) per cent accurate respectively. Overall the formula appeared to be the most accurate estimator of a horse's weight. However, owing to individual variation, it is recommended that the weights of horses < 15 hh are estimated by the formula or weigh tape 2, and that the weights of those > or = 15 hh are estimated with weigh tape 1.
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The Veterinary record · Jun 1998
Clinical efficacy and safety of propofol or ketamine anaesthesia in dogs premedicated with medetomidine.
Combinations of medetomidine with either propofol or ketamine were compared for the sedation and induction of anaesthesia in dogs undergoing a variety of surgical (60 per cent) and non-surgical (40 per cent) procedures. Eighty-four dogs were used at four sites. Medetomidine was administered intramuscularly at a dose of 1000 micrograms/m2 body surface area 10 to 15 minutes before the induction of anaesthesia by the administration of propofol (n = 44) or ketamine (n = 40) dosed to effect. ⋯ The heart rate of the dogs anaesthetised with ketamine was significantly higher than that of the dogs anaesthetised with propofol, but there were no other significant physiological differences. There were 11 adverse side-effects in the ketamine group compared with five in the propofol group and they were generally more severe. The quality of the recovery from anaesthesia was considered to be smooth in 89 per cent of the propofol group but in only 63 per cent of the ketamine group.