Xylazine anaesthesia in calves with diazepam premedication
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Date
1993
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Department of Surgery, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy
Abstract
The study was undertaken to find out the efficacy of xylazine alone and xylazine in combination with diazepam for anaesthesia in calves and to evaluate the haematological and systemic changes consequent on administration of these drugs. The experimental study was conducted on 24 apparantly healthy crossbread calves aged six to twelve months and weighing 47 to 80kg . They were divided into two groups viz.,group I and group II and each group was further divided into two subgroups viz., A and B consisting of six animals each.
Xylazine was administered IM at the rate of 0.20mg and 0.30 mg/kg bodyweight in subgroups I A and IB respectively. Diazepam at the rate of 1.0mg/kg bodyweight and 15min. later xylazine at the rate of 0.20mg and 0.30 mg/kg bodyweight were administered IM in subgroups II A and II B respectively.
The induction time was 8.50 + 1.47 min and 4.67 + 0.56 min in subgroups I A and I B respectively, whereas it was 8.67 + 1.71 min and 3.33 + 0.77 min in subgroups IIA and II B respectively.
The clinical signs of anaesthesia generally observed in these animals were incoordination of movements, assumption of sterna recumbency, salivation, protrusion of tongue, assumption of lateral recumbency, drooping of eyelids, twitching and dropping of ears, bellowing, deviation of eyeball, flaccidity of the tail and relaxation of abdominal muscles.
Palpebral reflex was sluggish in all the subgroups except in subgroup II B wherein it was absent. Response to pinprick though sluggish, was noticed in group I whereas insensititivity to pinprick was noticed in group II.
Duration of anaesthesia was 107.17 + 5.22 min and 115.67 + 10.03 min in subgroups I A and I B, whereas it was 199.83 + 36.55 min and 390.33 + 61.31 min in subgroups IIA and II B respectively. Increase in the doses of xylazine had prolonged the duration of anesthesia. Premedication with diazepam had still further prolonged the duration of anaesthesia.
Sedation was good enough in all the groups for preparing and handling the animals for surgery. During laparotomy, in animals where xylazine alone was administered symptoms of pain were observed, but to a lesser extent with the higher dose. When premedicated with diazepam, incising and suturing of skin did not cause pain, but incising and suturing muscles and peritoneum caused pain.
The animals did not exhibit signs of pain or swelling at the site of injection following xylazine injection, but diazepam injection was found painful.
All the animals resumed feeding and drinking soon after recovery, but they were dull for varying periods from three to twenty four hours.
Decrease in rectal temperature and pulse rate was observed in both the groups, which gradually became normal. Decrease in respiration rate was observed in group I whereas in group II, there was increase in respiration rate. In subgroup II B, the respiration was jerky and abdominal.
Electrocardiogram revealed decreased heart rate in both the groups after the administration of xylazine.
Decrease in total erythrocyte and leukocyte counts was observed in both the groups, which gradually became normal. A slight neutropenia with lymphocytosis was evident when xylazine alone was administered. When xylazine was combined with diazepam neutrophilia with lymphocytopenia was observed. Marked variation in monocyte, eosinophil and basophil counts were not observed in both the groups. Reduction in packed cell volume, decrease in haemoglobin concentration and slight increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate were observed in both the groups.
Serum sodium and potassium concentration did not show any marked variation, whereas serum chloride concentration recorded an increase in both the groups. The total serum protein content decreased in both the groups and serum glutamic pyruvic transminase value recorded slight increase. There was marked increase in blood glucose value in both the groups.
From the study it was found that : (i) administration of xylazine alone did not result in analgesia good enough to perform major surgical operations and (ii) premedication with diazepam was found to deepen the effect of sedation to a considerable extent. It would be desirable to resort to local infiltration or regional block also, for complete analgesia for major surgical operations.
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170424