Physiological and haematobiochemical evaluation of tramadol-midazolam-ketamine anaestheisia in geriatric dogs

The physiological and biochemical effects of a combination of tramadol (4 mg/kg b.wt, i.v.), midazolam (0.2 mg/kg b.wt, i.v.) and ketamine (5 mg/kg b.wt, i.v.) were evaluated for balanced anaesthesia in 12 medium size geriatric dogs (aged > 9 yr) undergoing various surgical interventions. Preoxygenation was done in all the animals before induction of anaesthesia. The combination of anaesthetic drugs used provided adequate analgesia throughout the surgery period without adversely affecting the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and did not cause significant alterations in physiological and haematobiochemical parameters. In conclusion, tramadol-midazolam-ketamine combination can be safely used to achieve balanced anaesthesia in geriatric dogs.