The effects of ketamine‐midazolam anesthesia on intraocular pressure in clinically normal dogs

Objective To determine the effects of intravenous ketamine‐midazolam anesthesia on intraocular pressure (IOP) in ocular normotensive dogs. Animals Thirteen adult mixed‐breed dogs. Procedures Dogs were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 7) and control (n = 6) groups. Dogs in the treatment group received intravenous ketamine 15 mg/kg and midazolam 0.2 mg/kg and dogs in the control group received intravenous saline. The time of intravenous drug injection was recorded (T₀). Measurements of IOP were then repeated 5 min (T₅) and 20 min (T₂₀) following the intravenous administration of ketamine‐midazolam combination and saline in both groups. Results Measurements showed normal IOP values in both groups. The mean ± SD baseline IOP values for treatment and control groups were 13.00 ± 1.47 and 10.33 ± 2.20, respectively. For baseline IOP values, there was no significant difference between treatment and control groups (P = 0.162). In the treatment group, the subsequent post‐treatment mean ± SD values were 15.64 ± 2.17 (5 min), and 14.92 ± 1.98 (20 min). There was no evidence of statistical difference between baseline values and post‐treatment values after treatment with ketamine‐midazolam (P₅ = 0.139; P₂₀ = 0.442). In control eyes, the mean ± SD values at 5 and 20 min were 10.41 ± 2.01 and 10.16 ± 1.69, respectively. There was no significant difference between baseline values and post‐treatment values in control group (P₅ = 1.000; P₂₀ = 1.000). Conclusion Ketamine‐midazolam combination has no clinically significant effect on IOP in the dog.