Abstract
Purpose: :
Determine effect of intravenous (IV) and intramuscular (IM) sedation with xylazine-ketamine on intraocular pressure (IOP) in laboratory rabbits.
Methods: :
Twenty female New Zealand white rabbits assigned to groups based on route of sedation (group 1, intravenous; group 2, intramuscular) with xylazine-ketamine. IOP measurements obtained at baseline (before sedation) and after administration of anesthesia as follows: group 1 at 5, 10, 20, 25 min (xylazine 4.6 mg/kg, ketamine 15.4 mg/kg; dose 0.1 ml/kg); group 2 at 10, 20, 30, 45 min (xylazine 10 mg/kg, ketamine 50 mg/kg; dose 1 ml/kg).
Results: :
One-way ANOVA, student’s t-test was used with p < 0.05 considered significant difference at 95% confidence intervals. Mean baseline IOP measurements for group 1 (20.15 mmHg) and group 2 (19.03 mmHg) were not significant (p=0.0860). Compared with baseline values, IOP measurements decreased significantly in group 1 after intravenous sedation at 10, 20 and 25 min (2.73, 4.10, 4.55 mmHg; p=0.0007, 0.0001, 0.0001), but not 5 min (1.40 mmHg, p=0.07). Group 2 had significant difference at 10, 20, 30 and 45 min (2.88, 3.30, 3.95, 4.60 mmHg; p=0.0001). The difference between IOP at 10 versus 20 min was significant in group 1 (1.38 mmHg, p=0.014), but not 20 versus 25 min (0.450 mmHg, p=0.553). Group 2, the difference between IOP at 10 versus 20, 20 versus 30 and 30 versus 45 min (0.425, 0.650, 0.650 mmHg) was not significant (p=0.492, 0.282, 0.294).
Conclusions: :
Sedation using IV and IM administered xylazine-ketamine caused significant decrease in IOP in clinically normal laboratory rabbits.
Keywords: intraocular pressure