Effects of Intramuscular Alfaxalone/ Acepromazine on Echocardiographic, Biochemical, and Blood Gas Measurements in Healthy Cats

The effects of intramuscular injection of alfaxalone ([ALF] 5 mg/kg), acepromazine ([ACE] 0.05 mg/kg), and an ALF-ACE combination ([AA] 0.025 mg/kg ACE followed by 2.5 mg/kg ALF) on the sedation, echocardiographic, biochemical, and blood gas indexes and recovery were evaluated in seven cats. No sedation was obtained with ACE, and sedation scores were higher with ALF than with AA treatment. Compared with baseline, an increase in heart rate occurred after ACE, and all treatments caused a decrease in systemic arterial pressure. Decreased left ventricular internal dimension in diastole, end-diastolic volume of the left ventricle, stroke volume, and left atrial dimension were identified after AA. There were minimal changes in echocardiographic variables after ALF. Biochemical and blood gas analysis showed no significant changes after all treatments. Although the difference in quality of recovery between the AA and ALF treatment groups was insignificant, all cats treated with AA or ALF showed ataxia. The AA combination did not change the recovery score, and tremor and twitching were identified more frequently with AA than ALF. ALF had no significant effects on echocardiographic, biochemical, or blood gas variables. ALF could be considered a useful sedative option for diagnostic procedures and echocardiography in cats.