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Comparison of the efficacy of 2 sedative protocols in pediatric dogs undergoing brainstem auditory-evoked response
Alejandra García de Carellán Mateo1, Elena Ríos Álvarez1, Carlos Ros1
1Departamento de Medicina y Cirugía Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Católica de Valencia, San Vicente Mártir, Valencia, Spain (García de Carellán Mateo, Ros); Hospital Veterinario Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, Avenida Pérez Galdós 51, Valencia, Spain. PC: 46018 (Ríos Álvarez).
Abstract:
This study compared the quality of sedation with dexmedetomidine or alfaxalone during brainstem auditory-evoked response (BAER) tests in 6- to 17-week-old dogs. This was a prospective, randomized clinical study involving 19 client-owned pediatric dogs of breeds with reported congenital deafness. Group A (GA) received alfaxalone, 2 mg/kg body weight (BW) (n = 9) and group D (GD) dexmedetomidine, 0.005 mg/kg BW, and postprocedure antagonism with atipamezole (n = 10) intramuscularly. Time from injection to sedation, duration of sedation, sedation scores, need for re-dosing, rectal temperature, pulse and respiratory rate were recorded at baseline, before and after the BAER test, and once recovered from sedation. Pulse rate was significantly lower in GD (P = 0.004) and the number of re-dosing was significantly higher in GA (P = 0.011). Both sedation protocols allowed good quality BAER test recordings in pediatric dogs. Sedation with dexmedetomidine required less re-dosing, whereas alfaxalone maintained more physiological pulse rates.
