Epidural lidocaine and medetomidine-ketamine anaesthesia in feline orthopedic surgery.

A one-year old male domestic cat was presented due to leg-carrying lameness that had occurred following trauma, sustained two weeks before presentation. Clinical examination under medetomidine hydrochloride 0.08 mg/kg administered intramuscularly revealed swelling and crepitation over the right femur. Radiographic examination revealed a transverse diaphyseal femoral fracture that needed surgical intervention. Twenty-four hours later, atropine sulfate (0.04 mg/kg) and medetomidine hydrochloride (0.08 mg/kg) were administered for premedication while anaesthesia was induced using ketamine hydrochloride (5 mg/kg) each drug administered intramuscularly. Epidural lidocaine at 4mg/kg was injected 13 minutes after induction. The technique provided anaesthesia characterized by stable cardiopulmonary function, good muscle relaxation and post-operative analgesia. Despite painful manipulations, no additional anesthetics were required intraoperatively. Hind limb paralysis persisted about one hour following the surgery. This anaesthesia protocol can therefore be used in cats undergoing hind limb fracture reduction and fixation more so in high anaesthetic risk patients or where inhalation anaesthesia is unavailable.