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Is it normal to give a rabbit ketamin?

shannon321

Alpha Buck
My bunny went in for a dental today and when the vet rang they said he was fine but not getting along with the anesthetic and that they used ketamin?

This doesn't sound right to me, i've never used this vet for the rabbits before as i have only just found him, he's an exotics specialist and had been amazing with my rats and in general its a super practice?

So is it normal to use that on rabbits?
 
My limited knowledge seems to tell me that's a very old fashioned anaesthetic. I believe Isofluorine is more commonly used now.
 
I'm pretty sure mine had Ketamin when neutered but I understood it to be more of a "pre-med" sedative rather than an anaesthetic. Ketamin is a tranquilizer normally used for horses isn't it?
 
yes it is a horse tranquilizer but they use it for all sorts of things my mum is allergic to penicilum (i cant spell it) so if she has an op she has to have ketamin, in small doses its probably fine for rabbits
 
Yes- but i imagine that will be one enlightened bunny when he comes round.

Ketamine is an anesthetic yes- they use it on trauma wards for kids because it's the safest i believe- least that is what the doctor who was taking ketamine as a party drug at the time told me.
 
Ketamine is commonly used as a rabbit anaesthetic induction agent or sedative and also provides pain relief. Alone it can cause exciteability so it is used in combination with other agents with more sedative effect for balanced anaesthesia.
It has been around for a long time but that doesn't necessarily make it old fashioned. Isoflurane is used to maintain anaesthesia once the rabbit is induced and intubated so ketamine and Iso are typically used together in anaesthesia. Just using isoflurane is very stressful so it is much easier on the bunny to be asleep first.
 
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