Sedative, hematologic and hemostatic effects of dexmedetomidine-butorphanol alone or in combination with ketamine in cats.

Acute stress induced by physical restraint can interfere with the validity of laboratory findings. Sedation could minimize such stress. However, it is not known whether sedation can affect hematologic and hemostatic parameters in cats. The purpose of this study was to evaluate hematologic and hemostatic parameters in domestic cats subjected to physical restraint in addition to one of two sedation protocols. In total, 50 cats were subjected to physical restraint and were then randomly divided into two groups of 25 animals, receiving dexmedetomidine (5 µg/kg) and butorphanol (0.3 mg/kg; DB group) or dexmedetomidine (5 µg/kg), butorphanol (0.3 mg/kg) and ketamine (3 mg/kg; DBK group). The cats were assessed for acute stress, sedation level, onset of sedation and duration of sedation. Blood samples were collected after handling and after sedation. The complete blood count (CBC), platelet count, buccal mucosal bleeding time (BMBT), whole-blood clotting time, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and thrombin time (TT) were determined for each sample, before and after chemical restraint. No statistically significant differences were found in the hematologic parameters. Certain hemostatic parameters (PT, aPTT and TT) were higher in the DB group (P <0.05). The onset of sedation was similar in the two groups, and the duration of sedation was longer in the DBK group. Both sedation protocols were effective for short-duration chemical restraint for blood collection from the studied cats, and no clinically relevant effects on hematologic or hemostatic parameters were detected.