Ten healthy adult cats were included in this prospective, randomized experimental trial.
Romifidine (100, 200, and 400 Āµg kg1) or xylazine (1 mg kg1) was given IM in a cross-over study design. Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), hemoglobin saturation, oscillometric arterial pressure, and scores for sedation, muscle relaxation, position, auditory response, and analgesia were determined before and after drug administration.
Time to recumbency, duration of recumbency, and time to recover from sedation were determined. Subjective evaluation and cardiorespiratory variables were recorded before and at regular intervals for 60 minutes after drug administration.
Results: Bradycardia developed in all cats that were given romifidine or xylazine. No other significant differences in physiologic parameters were observed from baseline values or between treatments.
Increasing the dose of romifidine did not result in increased sedation or muscle relaxation. Cats given xylazine showed higher sedation and muscle relaxation scores over time.
Analgesia scores were significantly higher after administration of romifidine (400 Āµg kg1) and xylazine (1 mg kg1) than after romifidine at 100 or 200 Āµg kg1.
Duration of lateral recumbency was not significantly different between treatments; however, cats took longer to recover after administration of 400 Āµg kg1 romifidine.
Bradycardia is the most important adverse effect after IM administration of romifidine at doses ranging from 100 to 400 Āµg kg1 or 1 mg kg1 of xylazine in cats. The sedative effects of romifidine at 200 Āµg kg1 are comparable to those of 1 mg kg1 of xylazine, although muscle relaxation and analgesia were significantly less with romifidine than with xylazine.
Source: Selmi, AndrƩ L, Barbudo-Selmi, Glenda R, Mendes, Guilherme Maia, Figueiredo, Juliana P & Lins, Bruno T (2004): Sedative, analgesic and cardiorespiratory effects of romifidine in cats.
In: Veterinary Anaesthesiology and Analgesia 31 (3), 195-206.
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