The use of alpha-2 agonists with an anesthetic is a common practice for the anesthesia of companion animals. The objective of this study is to compare the effects of two different alpha-2 agonists with a common anesthetic in rabbits. To achieve this objective, twenty rabbits weighing 0.7-1 kg were randomly divided into two treatment groups: a detomidine-ketamine (DK) and a xylazine-ketamine (XK) group with 10 rabbits assigned to each group. The DK group was administered detomidine (0.25 mg/kg b.wt.) in combination with ketamine (35 mg/kg b.wt.) via the intramuscular route. Similarly, the XK group received xylazine (3 mg/kg b.wt) combined
with ketamine (35 mg/kg b.wt.) intramuscularly. The comparative effects of the two anesthetic protocols were evaluated based on clinical and hematological parameters, the onset and recovery of anesthetic reflexes, duration of anesthesia, and the occurrence of adverse effects. Rabbits in
the DK group exhibited a longer time to loss of the righting reflex, a prolonged duration of pedal withdrawal reflex suppression, and a significantly longer recovery period to sternal recumbency compared with those in the XK group. In contrast, the XK group demonstrated a more
pronounced reduction in respiratory rate at 25 min. following anesthetic induction. Heart rate declined more markedly over time in the DK group, whereas both groups showed comparable decreases in rectal temperature during the post-anesthetic period. Most hematological parameters in the DK group remained near baseline, with slight increases in hemoglobin, packed cell volume (PCV), and red blood cell (RBC) count, whereas the XK group showed marked reductions in hemoglobin and RBC count. In conclusion, the detomidine–ketamine protocol produced more effective anesthesia in rabbits, offering greater hematological stability, prolonged anesthetic duration, smooth recovery, and no observable adverse effects.