Butorphanol (dosage range: 0.025 to 0.2 mg/kg IV, IM, SC) provides safe, reliable, and predictable sedation lasting approximately 20 minutes. Recumbency is not expected. The effect of butorphanol is clinically similar between IV and IM route, but effect is expected to be longer after IM administration.

Diazepam (dosage range: 0.05 to 0.1 mg/kg IV, IM) provides safe but variable sedation lasting approximately 20 minutes. Recumbency is not expected. The effect of diazepam is clinically similar between IV and IM route, but the effect is expected to be longer after IM administration.

Xylazine (dosage range: 0.05 to 0.5 mg/kg IV, IM, SC) provides more profound sedation and analgesia. Xylazine has more profound cardiopulmonary effects and can cause significant bradycardia, bradypnea, and bloat. Food and water should be withheld from patients for 12 hours prior to xylazine administration. Xylazine is most consistent in effect when given IV, but it can be less predictable after IM or SC routes. Clinical effect is expected to last 10 to 20 minutes with maximum sedation and an additional 10 to 20 minutes of mild sedation. Recumbency is not expected at low dosages but will occur more frequently at higher dosages especially when administered IV.

Acepromazine (dosage range: 0.02 to 0.05 mg/kg IV, IM, SC) provides safe, predictable tranquilization lasting approximately 20 minutes. Recumbency is not expected at low dosages, but it will occur more frequently at higher dosages especially when administered IV. Effect of acepromazine is clinically similar between IV and IM route, but the effect is expected to be longer after IM administration.

The Ketamine-Stun drug combination utilizes small dosages of butorphanol (0.05 to 0.1 mg/kg), xylazine (0.1 to 0.2 mg/kg), and ketamine (0.2 to 0.4 mg/kg) and can be administered IV or IM depending on the depth of sedation desired.

Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel

Join