highly significantP <0.0001
Sedation under ketamine and alfaxalone remained highly significant from control throughout physiological monitoring (P1: ketamine, 12 min:13.0±2.4, P <0.0001; alfaxalone, 11 min: 10.6±1.8, P = 0.0002; P2: ketamine, 19 min: 13.5±2.6, P <0.0001; alfaxalone, 16 min: 10.9±2.6, P = 0.0005); and animals under ketamine remained highly sedated upon returning to cage (28 min: 12.7±2.4, P <0.0001), whereas sedation under alfaxalone reduced more rapidly toward conscious levels (22 min: 8.6±2.7, P = 0.0059).