Use of Propofol and Ketamine Combinations for Induction of Anaesthesia in Cats at Veterinary Centres in Enugu State

Feline anaesthesia requires careful drug selection due to cats' unique hepatic metabolism, narrow therapeutic index for many agents, and stress sensitivity. Propofol and ketamine are both widely used induction agents in feline practice, and their combination may offer advantageous pharmacological synergy while reducing individual drug doses and associated adverse effects. This study evaluated the anaesthetic quality, cardiovascular and respiratory effects, and recovery characteristics of propofol alone, ketamine alone, and a propofol-ketamine combination for induction of general anaesthesia in cats at veterinary centres in Enugu, South East Nigeria. Thirty adult domestic shorthair cats undergoing elective surgical procedures were allocated to three groups of 10. Premedication with acepromazine and butorphanol was uniform across groups. Induction was performed with propofol at 4 mg/kg, ketamine at 5 mg/kg, or propofol at 2 mg/kg plus ketamine at 2.5 mg/kg. Quality of induction, intubation ease, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, mean arterial pressure, and recovery time were recorded. The combination group showed the smoothest induction and easiest intubation. Propofol alone caused the most significant respiratory depression, with apnoea in three of 10 cats. Ketamine alone produced the longest and roughest recoveries. The combination produced stable cardiovascular parameters and recovery times intermediate between the two single-drug groups. These results support the propofol-ketamine combination as a balanced and practical induction regimen for routine feline anaesthesia in Enugu veterinary practice. Keywords: propofol, ketamine, feline anaesthesia, induction, Enugu.