The following anesthetics are administered as follows:
- BXK (Butorphanol/Xylazine/Ketamine) Anesthesia:
- IM Anesthesia: Combine the butorphanol, xylazine, and ketamine in the same syringe and administer together in one location IM. Butorphanol (dosage range: 0.05 to 0.1 mg/kg) is used to provide sedation and analgesia. Xylazine (dosage range: 0.3 to 0.5 mg/kg) provides profound sedation and analgesia. Xylazine has more profound cardiopulmonary effects and can cause significant bradycardia, bradypnea, and bloat. Clinical effect is expected to last 20 to 30 minutes with maximum sedation and an additional 10 to 20 minutes of mild sedation. Ketamine (dosage range: 3 to 5 mg/kg) provides neuroleptic anesthesia and analgesia lasting 20 to 30 minutes. Given IM, this B:X:K cocktail is expected to provide general anesthesia within 5 to 10 minutes following injection and surgical plane analgesia for 20 to 30 minutes. Patients will regain consciousness and the ability to remain sternal within 40 to 60 minutes after injection. If the procedure time is expected to exceed 30 minutes, a supplemental dose of xylazine and ketamine at one-third to one-half of the original dosage are administered at 20 to 30 minutes. A convenient field-ready cocktail can be made by adding butorphanol (1 mL at 10 mg/mL) and xylazine (1 mL at 100 mg/mL) into a vial of ketamine (10 mL at 100 mg/mL). This combination is then administered IM at a dosage rate of 1 mL/18 kg (40 lb.) body weight in alpacas and per 23 kg (50 lb.) body weight in llamas.
- IV Anesthesia: Administer the butorphanol and xylazine in the same syringe and administer IV. When sedation is apparent, administer the ketamine dosage. Administer butorphanol (dosage range: 0.05 to 0.1 mg/kg IV) and xylazine (dosage range: 0.2 to 0.3 mg/kg IV). Wait until sedation is apparent and then administer ketamine (dosage range: 2 to 3 mg/kg IV). Given IV, this B:X:K cocktail is expected to provide general anesthesia within 1 to 2 minutes following IV injection of ketamine. Surgical plane anesthesia will be sustained for approximately 20 minutes. Patients will regain consciousness and the ability to remain sternal within 30 to 40 minutes after injection. If the procedure time is expected to exceed 20 minutes, a supplemental dose of xylazine and ketamine at one-third of the original dosage are administered at 15 to 20 minutes.
- IM Anesthesia: Combine the butorphanol, xylazine, and ketamine in the same syringe and administer together in one location IM. Butorphanol (dosage range: 0.05 to 0.1 mg/kg) is used to provide sedation and analgesia. Xylazine (dosage range: 0.3 to 0.5 mg/kg) provides profound sedation and analgesia. Xylazine has more profound cardiopulmonary effects and can cause significant bradycardia, bradypnea, and bloat. Clinical effect is expected to last 20 to 30 minutes with maximum sedation and an additional 10 to 20 minutes of mild sedation. Ketamine (dosage range: 3 to 5 mg/kg) provides neuroleptic anesthesia and analgesia lasting 20 to 30 minutes. Given IM, this B:X:K cocktail is expected to provide general anesthesia within 5 to 10 minutes following injection and surgical plane analgesia for 20 to 30 minutes. Patients will regain consciousness and the ability to remain sternal within 40 to 60 minutes after injection. If the procedure time is expected to exceed 30 minutes, a supplemental dose of xylazine and ketamine at one-third to one-half of the original dosage are administered at 20 to 30 minutes. A convenient field-ready cocktail can be made by adding butorphanol (1 mL at 10 mg/mL) and xylazine (1 mL at 100 mg/mL) into a vial of ketamine (10 mL at 100 mg/mL). This combination is then administered IM at a dosage rate of 1 mL/18 kg (40 lb.) body weight in alpacas and per 23 kg (50 lb.) body weight in llamas.
- Ketamine-Diazepam Anesthesia: The combination of diazepam and ketamine provides a safe method for induction of general anesthesia lasting approximately 15 to 20 minutes. For intravenous induction of llamas, diazepam (0.14 mg/kg) and ketamine (2.7 mg/kg) are combined and administered simultaneously. For alpacas, diazepam (0.18 mg/kg) and ketamine (3.6 mg/kg) are combined and administered simultaneously IV. An easy field-ready cocktail is to add equal volumes of ketamine (100 mg/mL) and diazepam (5 mg/mL) into a syringe and administer this combination at a rate of 1 mL/18 kg to llamas or 1 mL/14 kgs to alpacas.
Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel
Full access? Get Clinical Tree
