Clinical comparison of different detomidine combinations in rats

Objective: This study aimed to observe the changes in heart frequency, respiratory frequency, body temperature, peripheral oxygen saturation, pedal reflex, palpebral reflex, corneal reflex and inter-toe reflex in rats after detomidine, detomidine-ketamine, detomidine-ketamine-butorphanol and detomidine-ketamine-diazepam combinations. Material and Methods: The study, four different detomidine combinations were compared and a total of 32 rats were used; each anesthesia group contained 8 rats, 4 male and 4 female rats. Detomidine alone (100 µg/kg) was administered to the first group of rats, detomidine (100 µg/kg) - ketamine (75 mg/kg) was administered to the second group of rats, detomidine (100 µg/kg) - ketamine (75 mg/kg) - butorphanol (5 mg/kg) was administered to the third group of rats and Detomidine (100 µg/kg) - ketamine (75 mg/kg) - diazepam (5 mg/kg) was administered to the fourth group of rats. During the anesthesia follow-up, heart frequency, respiratory frequency, body temperature, peripheral oxygen saturation; the parameters of pedal reflex, palpebral reflex, corneal reflex and toe reflex were physically examined at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes and the values were recorded with the help of a bedside monitor. Results: In the study, heart rate parameter was found to be statistically significantly lower in the detomidine-ketamine-butorphanol group compared to the detomidine group at the 30th minute (P=0.007); in the detomidine-ketamine, detomidine-ketamine-butorphanol and detomidine-ketamine-diazepam groups at the 90th minute (P=0.006); and in the detomidine-ketamine and detomidine-ketamine-butorphanol groups at the 120th minute (P=0.037). In terms of body temperature parameter, in the detomidine-ketamine and detomidine-ketamine-diazepam groups compared to the detomidine group at the 15th minute (P=0.002) and 20th minute (P=0.013); At 25th minutes (P=0.022), 30th minutes (P=0.007) and 45th minutes (P=0.038), detomidine-ketamine, detomidine-ketamine-butorphanol and detomidine-ketamine-diazepam groups were found to be statistically significantly lower. Reflex parameters were found to be significantly lower in the detomidine-ketamine-diazepam group compared to the detomidine group for pedal, palpebral and corneal reflex disappearance (P=0.035), and for toe-interposition reflex disappearance (P=0.023). When the duration of surgical anesthesia and total anesthesia time were evaluated, the detomidine-ketamine, detomidine-ketamine-butorphanol and detomidine-ketamine-diazepam groups were found to be significantly lower (P=0.000) compared to the detomidine group. Conclusion: The detomidine group was observed to not produce sufficient sedation and anesthesia when used alone in rats. The detomidine-ketamine-butorphanol group provides good analgesia, making it recommended for use in painful, especially orthopedic, surgeries. The detomidine-ketamine-diazepam group provides long-lasting anesthesia, making it recommended for use in surgical procedures.