Induction of anesthesia with diazepam-ketamine and midazolam-ketamine in greyhounds

Anesthesia was induced in 14 greyhounds with a mixture of diazepam or midazolam (0.28 mg/kg) and ketamine (5.5 mg/kg), and maintained with halothane. There were no significant differences in weight, age, or duration of anesthesia between the treatment groups. Time to intubation with diazepam-ketamine (4.07 +/- 1.43 min) was significantly longer than with midazolam-ketamine (2.73 +/- 0.84 min). Heart rate, respiratory rate, PaCO2, and arterial pH did not vary significantly during anesthesia in either treatment group. Arterial blood pressures, PaO2, halothane vaporizer setting, and body temperature changed significantly from baseline values in both treatment groups during anesthesia. Times to sternal recumbency and times to standing were not significantly different. These data suggest that both diazepam-ketamine and midazolam-ketamine are useful anesthetic combinations in greyhounds. In combination with ketamine, midazolam offers little advantage over diazepam.