Use of Vitamin C for Premedication Prior to Medetomidine–Ketamine Anesthesia in New Zealand White Rabbits

This study aimed to investigate the effects of premedication with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) on physiologic parameters before medetomidine–ketamine anesthesia in New Zealand white rabbits. A total of 14 rabbits of both sexes, 1-4 months of age and 2-4 kg in body weight, were used in this study. The rabbits were randomly assigned one of two groups: medetomidine–ketamine (MK) or ascorbic acid–medetomidine–ketamine (AAMK). The rabbits in the MK group were given 0.25 mg/kg of medetomidine and 15 mg/kg of ketamine intramuscularly. The rabbits in the AAMK group were given 60 mg/kg of vitamin C intramuscularly 20 min prior to the same dose of medetomidine–ketamine anesthesia. The onset of anesthesia, time of surgical anesthesia, and total anesthesia time in the two groups was recorded. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature were also recorded at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 45 and 60 minutes during anesthesia. Physiologic parameters were not statistically different between the two groups. Pretreatment with vitamin C prior to medetomidine–ketamine anesthesia decreased the duration of onset of anesthesia. As a result, it was concluded that vitamin C can be used prior to anesthesia to accelerate the effect of medetomidine–ketamine in rabbits