Because ketamine does not suppress breathing or lower blood pressure, it is a common, safe, injectable anesthetic used in veterinary medicine.2 It is crucial that veterinarians have access to this drug, particularly in equine medicine.2 The AVMA has urged the FDA not to restrict ketamine use in veterinary medicine because of its profound importance in practice.3
Ketamine has become widely popular as a recreational drug because of its fast-acting psychotropic effects, duration period, and low cost.4-6 Recreational use of this drug is concerning because of the risk for adverse events, which can include panic attacks, depression, exacerbated mental health conditions, weight loss, and poor appetite.5
In addition, ketamine is one of several drugs with depressant effects, including confusion, bradycardia, vertigo, lethargy, impaired judgment, amnesia, ataxia, loss of consciousness, syncope, nausea, hypotension, and loss of inhibition and is often used to facilitate sexual assault in humans.4
In 2015, the World Health Organization decided that ketamine should not become internationally scheduled, as it does not pose a significant public health threat in terms of illicit use, and that, therefore, it should remain easily accessible to both human and veterinary medical professionals.2 For humans wanting the drug for illicit use, veterinary clinics are a prime target for robbery.7
Veterinarians should be aware of the licit and illicit aspects of ketamine, how to deter and report theft associated with illicit demand and weak regulations, and the legal requirements surrounding the use of this controlled substance.