EN
This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of the ketamine-medetomidine-tramadol combination (KMT) on pigs and to compare its efficacy as an anaesthetic, with that of ketamine-medetomidine (KM). Eight healthy eight-week-old Bamei pigs of both sexes were immobilized with KMT and KM on two different occasions. The pigs’ immobilization and analgesia scores and baseline physiological parameters (heart rate, respiratory rate, non-invasive systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures, arterial hemoglobin oxygen saturation and rectal temperature) were determined before the administration of KMT or KM and 5, 10, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min thereafter. Pigs in both groups became recumbent within 5 min. Some physiological parameters changed after the drug combinations had been administrated, but they remained within biologically acceptable limits and did not differ significantly between the two treatments. Induction and recovery quality in pigs was better with KMT than with KM. Sedation, analgesia, muscle relaxation, posture and auditory response scores were higher in the KMT group. The animals in the KMT group were also much calmer during recovery.