EXAMPLE Species-specific Considerations for Anesthesia: Cats
For feline intubation, drop ~0.2 ml of a local anesthetic solution (such as 2% topical lidocaine) onto the arytenoid cartilage using a 1mL syringe and wait 60-90 seconds before attempting to intubate to prevent laryngospasms. Endotracheal tube sizes for cats are generally between 2.0 and 5.0 mm, and depends on the size of the cat.
Heat support - per the IACUC Guidelines on Anesthesia Monitoring of Research Animals, do not use electric heating devices in USDA-covered species without justification as to safeguards that are in place for that particular piece of equipment.
Normal and Anesthetized Vital Parameters
Parameters to monitor in anesthetized cats include anesthetic depth, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, expired CO2 (EtCO2), temperature, blood pressure, and mucous membrane color.
Cat Normal Reference Ranges:
| Awake | Under Anesthesia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | Kitten | (Same for Adults and Kittens) | |
| Heart rate | 140-220 | 220-260 | 100-180 | 100-180 |
| Respiratory rate | 16-40 | 16-40 | 10-20 | 10-20 |
| Temperature | 100.5-102.5 | >95°F | >98°F | >98°F |
* all species, SpO2 > 95%, EtCO2 35-45 mmHg, mucous membranes pink (not pale, white, gray, or blue), capillary refill time < 2s, depth of anesthesia adequate, blood pressure > 60 mmHg
Anesthesia
Sedation
Drug | Dose | Route | Frequency/Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
Ketamine + Dexmedetomidine + Butorphanol (Recommended) | Ketamine: 2-3 mg/kg + Dexmedetomidine: 0.0025-0.005 mg/kg + Butorphanol: 0.2-0.5 mg/kg | IM/IV (IM more common)
| See special considerations about reversing dexmedetomidine and/or butorphanol. |
Dexmedetomidine | 0.0025-0.04 mg/kg
| IM/IV | Light to moderate sedation with mild to moderate analgesia. Appropriate for minor procedures. Can be reversed with the same volume of Atipamezole as the volume of Dexmedetomidine used. |
Acepromazine + Butorphanol
| Acepromazine: 0.05-0.1 mg/kg + Butorphanol: 0.2-0.5 mg/kg | IV/IM
| |
Dexmedetomidine + Butorphanol | Dexmedetomidine: 0.0025-0.04 mg/kg + Butorphanol: 0.2-0.5 mg/kg | IM/IV | Can be reversed with the same volume of Atipamezole as the volume of Dexmedetomidine used. |
Induction
Drug | Dose | Route | Frequency/Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
Ketamine + Midazolam
| Ketamine, 2.0-5.0 mg/kg + Midazolam, 0.2-0.3 mg/kg | IV/SQ/IM
| Stings on injection if SQ or IM. Expect the cat to react. Midazolam can be reserved with flumazenil.
|
Propofol | 4 to 8 mg/kg in unmedicated animals; 1 to 6 mg/kg in premedicated/sedated animals | IV | Slowly deliver titrated volume, as rapid administration will lead to apnea and hypotension. Very rapid onset and recovery. Propofol is a respiratory depressant. Animals receiving propofol should be intubated following administration of induction dose. Causes hypotension when given as a bolus. See general anesthesia page for additional information about propofol. |
Maintenance
Drug | Dose | Route | Frequency/Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
Isoflurane | 1-2% maintenance | Inhalation | Give to effect |
Propofol - constant rate infusions (CRI) | 0.05-0.2 mg/kg/minute | IV | See special considerations about propofol. Felines do not clear phenols well, therefore repetitive dosing is not recommended. |
Analgesia
Opioids
Drug | Dose | Route | Frequency/Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
Buprenorphine-HCL | 0.005-0.04 mg/kg | Subcutaneous (SQ), Intramuscular (IM), Orally (PO)
| Every 6-8 hours |
Buprenorphine in Polymer (formerly Buprenorphine ER - extended release) | 0.12 mg/kg
| SQ | Every 72 hours. Administer the first dose 2-4 hours prior to the painful procedure to ensure effective analgesia. |
NSAIDs
Drug | Dose | Route | Frequency/Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
Onsior (Robenacoxib)
| 2 mg/kg | SQ/PO | Once daily for a maximum for 3 days. The first dose should be administered ~30min prior to surgery, at the same time as preanesthetic agents. Subsequent doses can be given as a SQ injection (rotating injection sites) or by using oral tablets. |
Local Anesthesia
Drug | Dose | Route | Frequency/Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
Lidocaine | 2.5-3 mg/kg (0.3 mL/kg of a 1% solution)
| Local infiltration
| Do not exceed 10 mg/kg total dose
|
Bupivacaine | 1-2 mg/kg (0.4-0.8 mL/kg of a 0.25% solution)
| Local infiltration
| Do not exceed 4 mg/kg total dose
|
Blood Collection
See (general blood collection guidelines) for more information.
- Normal blood volume in an adult cat: 55ml/kg
- Normal Packed Cell Volume (PCV) in an adult cat: 25-41%
Recommended Blood Collection Sites
Site | Anesthesia Required? | Repeat bleeds? |
|---|---|---|
Medial Saphenous Vein | No | Yes |
Cephalic Vein | No | Yes |
Jugular Vein | No | Yes |
Euthanasia
See euthanasia page for species-specific euthanasia.