Clinical experience using a combination of dexmedetomidine, ketamine, midazolam and hydromorphone for general anaesthesia in two winter white dwarf hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) undergoing surgical facial procedures

Abstract

A 4-month-old, male winter white dwarf hamster and an adult, male winter white dwarf hamster of unknown age were presented for surgical procedures of the face. An injectable anaesthesia protocol with DKMH (dexmedetomidine 0.1 mg/kg, ketamine 20 mg/kg, midazolam 1 mg/kg and hydromorphone 0.4 or 0.8 mg/kg) was administered subcutaneously to anaesthetise each hamster. Anaesthesia was induced in less than 1 minute and a surgical plane of anaesthesia was maintained for the duration of the procedure for both hamsters. Postoperatively, flumazenil (0.1 mg/kg) and atipamezole (1 mg/kg) were administered subcutaneously and the hamsters recovered uneventfully without anaesthetic-related complications.