Table 1. Sedative and cardiorespiratory effects produced by premedication with an intramuscular (IM) administration of medetomidine (5 µg/kg) alone, butorphanol (0.3 mg/kg) alone, or combination of both in dogs.

Anesthetic treatment		Total neuro-depressive score		Rectal temperature (°C)		Heart rate (beats/min)		Respiratory rate (breaths/min)		Non-invasive mean arterial blood pressure (mmHg)
		before premedication	at 15 min after premedication	before premedication	at 15 min after premedication	before premedication	at 15 min after premedication	before premedication	at 15 min after premedication	before premedication	at 15 min after premedication
Medetomidine
	MA-1	2 [1, 2]	2 [2–7]	38.7 [38.0–38.8]	38.7 [38.0–38.9]	96 [64–112]	50 [36–64]a	26 [16–36]	24 [16–48]	142 [105–183]	102 [100–116]
	MA-2.5	2 [1, 2]	2 [1–3]	38.4 [37.7–39.4]	38.8 [37.5–39.1]	96 [80–108]	60 [44–72]a	20 [16–40]	20 [16–40]	119 [89–158]	116 [103–166]
	MA-5	2 [1, 2]	2.5 [1–4]	38.6 [38.3–39.1]	38.8 [37.8–39.1]	72 [64–108]	47 [34–56]a	39 [20–80]	24 [16–36]	129 [100–152]	113 [95–150]
Butorphanol
	BA-1	2 [1, 2]	3.5 [3–5]	38.6 [38.2–39.0]	38.7 [38.1–39.2]	102 [72–124]	82 [68–100]	28 [24–96]	22 [16–92]	120 [89–141]	92 [82–99]
	BA-2.5	2 [2, 2]	4 [2–7]	38.7 [38.1–39.1]	38.9 [38.0–39.2]	92 [72–124]	79 [68–104]	37 [20–56]	24 [16–24]	112 [92–151]	96 [86–115]
	BA-5	2 [2, 2]	2 [2–6]	38.7 [38.4–39.0]	38.7 [38.4–39.2]	96 [88–124]	88 [68–116]	34 [24–92]	22 [12–48]	121 [101–140]	99 [80–111]
Medetomidine and Butorphanol
	MBA-1	2 [1, 2]	12.5 [9–15] a	39.0 [38.7–39.9]	39.0 [38.1–39.4]	128 [80–144]	46 [40–72] a	40 [28–96]	14 [8–20] a	121 [104–144]	105 [97–158]
	MBA-2.5	2 [1, 2]	11.5 [3–13] a	38.8 [38.0–39.0]	38.6 [38.3–39.0]	116 [88–164]	48 [32–60] a	38 [20–44]	18 [12–32] a	106 [92–124]	115 [54–121]
	MBA-5	2 [1, 2]	12.5 [9–15] a	38.6 [38.3–39.1]	38.7 [38.2–39.1]	116 [88–160]	43 [36–52] a	30 [20–36]	14 [10–20] a	118 [101–123]	118 [102–125]

Data was reported as median [minimum-maximum] caliculated from 6 dogs. MA-1: the dogs were premedicated with medetomidine at 5 µg/kg IM and then received alfaxalone at 1 mg/kg IM. MA-2.5: the dogs were premedicated with medetomidine at 5 µg/kg IM and then received alfaxalone at 2.5 mg/kg. MA-5: the dogs were premedicated with medetomidine at 5 µg/kg IM and then received alfaxalone at 5 mg/kg IM. BA-1: the dogs were premedicated with butorphanol at 0.3 mg/kg IM and then received alfaxalone at 1 mg/kg IM. BA-2.5: the dogs were premedicated with butorphanol at 0.3 mg/kg IM and then received alfaxalone at 2.5 mg/kg IM. BA-5: the dogs were premedicated with butorphanol at 0.3 mg/kg IM and then received alfaxalone at 5 mg/kg IM. MBA-1: the dogs were premedicated with medetomidine at 5 µg/kg and butorphanol at 0.3 mg/kg IM and then received alfaxalone at 1 mg/kg IM. MBA-2.5: the dogs were premedicated with medetomidine at 5 µg/kg and butorphanol at 0.3 mg/kg IM and then received alfaxalone at 2.5 mg/kg. MBA-5: the dogs were premedicated with medetomidine at 5 µg/kg and butorphanol at 0.3 mg/kg IM and then received alfaxalone at 5 mg/kg IM. Significant difference from the data recorded before the premedication: a) P<0.05.