Clinical Effects and Pharmacokinetic Profile of Intramuscular Dexmedetomidine (10 μg/kg) in Cats

This study investigated the pharmacokinetic profile of and pharmacodynamic response to dexmedetomidine administered intramuscularly (IM) at a dose of 10 μg/kg in healthy cats. Nine adult cats were evaluated before and after administration of the drug, with serial collections of plasma samples. Dexmedetomidine induced deep sedation, with a rapid onset of action and a duration of one hour, reaching a peak between 20 and 30 min after administration. The half-life (T½) was 70.2 ± 48 min, with a maximum concentration (Cmax) of 2.2 ± 1.9 ng/mL and time to reach maximum concentration (Tmax) of 26.4 ± 19.8 min. The area under the curve (AUC) was 167.1 ± 149.1 ng/mL*min, with a volume of distribution (Vd) of 2159.9 ± 3237.8 mL/kg and clearance (Cl) of 25.8 ± 33.0 mL/min/kg. There was a reduction in heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) in relation to the baseline, with a slight decrease in systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean (MAP) blood pressure in the first hour. Blood glucose increased after 60 min. Dexmedetomidine proved to be effective and safe, with rapid absorption, metabolization, and elimination, promoting good sedation with minimal adverse effects after IM administration in healthy cats.