Abstract
The present study was undertaken to investigate the sedative, analgesic and clinical effects of xylazine, medetomidine and dexmedetomidine with fentanyl as pre-anaesthetics in water buffaloes and to compare the dose-sparing effect of xylazine, medetomidine and dexmedetomidine on thiopental for induction and isoflurane for maintenance of anaesthesia in water buffaloes. Six male water buffaloes randomly received intravenous fentanyl (5.0 µg/kg body weight) and xylazine (0.05 mg/kg body weight), fentanyl (5.0 µg/kg body weight) and medetomidine (2.5 µg/kg body weight), fentanyl (5.0 µg/kg body weight) and dexmedetomidine (5.0 µg/kg body weight) at weekly intervals in groups I1, I2 and I3, respectively. After 15 min, the animals were restrained in right lateral recumbency and anaesthesia was induced by 5% thiopental sodium administered intravenously. The intubated animal was connected to the large animal anaesthesia machine and isoflurane in 100% oxygen (5 L/min) was insufflated for 60 min. The treatments were compared by clinicophysiological, haematobiochemical and haemodynamic parameters. Fentanyl-medetomidine and fentanyl-dexmedetomidine produced more cardiovascular depression during the pre-anaesthetic period but less depression of cardio-respiratory dynamics in the post induction and maintenance period. Quicker recovery was recorded in I2 and I3 groups. A lower dose of thiopental was required in group I3 (4.33 mg/kg ± 0.66 mg/kg) than in groups I2 (4.41 mg/kg ± 0.98 mg/kg) and I1 (4.83 mg/kg ± 0.79 mg/kg). The dose of isoflurane was less in group I3 (45.50 mL ± 5.45 mL) than in group I1 and I2 (48.66 mL ± 5.10 mL and 48.00 mL ± 6.38 mL). Better anaesthesia was recorded with fentanyl-dexmedetomidine-thiopental-isoflurane (group I3) than with fentanyl-medetomidine-thiopental-isoflurane (group I2) and fentanyl-xylazine-thiopental-isoflurane (group I1). Fentanyl-medetomidine and fentanyl-dexmedetomidine were better pre-anaesthetic agents in comparison to fentanyl-xylazine for thiopental and isoflurane anaesthesia. Fentanyl-dexmedetomidine-thiopental-isoflurane and fentanyl-medetomidine-thiopental-isoflurane produced effective surgical anaesthesia and were found to be safe, as cardio-pulmonary functions were well preserved during maintenance anaesthesia with no deleterious effect on vital organ functions in water buffaloes.
Highlights
General anaesthesia in adult water buffaloes or cattle involves complications, such as regurgitation, bloat, aspiration pneumonia, nerve paralysis et cetera, which are not often encountered in small animals
There are few reports of intravenous fentanyl administration in large animal species, fentanyl infusions have been employed in a variety of surgical animal research models involving calves (Wilson, Kantrowitz & Pacholewicz 2000)
After 15 min of premedication, the animals were restrained in right lateral recumbency and anaesthesia was induced by 5% thiopental sodium administered intravenously
Summary
General anaesthesia in adult water buffaloes or cattle involves complications, such as regurgitation, bloat, aspiration pneumonia, nerve paralysis et cetera, which are not often encountered in small animals. To reduce the risk associated with these potential complications, adult cattle should be fasted from 18 h to 24 h under captive conditions. Sedative and analgesic effects of medetomidine have been studied in sheep (Kastner et al 2001), goats (Pawde et al 1996), calves (Raekallio, Kivalo & Jalanka 1997), dairy cows (Ranheim et al 1999) and water buffaloes (Kinjavdekar et al 2003). There are few reports of intravenous fentanyl administration in large animal species, fentanyl infusions have been employed in a variety of surgical animal research models involving calves (Wilson, Kantrowitz & Pacholewicz 2000)
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