Comparative study on sedative and anaesthetic effects of Xylazine, Ketamine and Xylazine-Ketamine Combination in quails (Coturnix coturnix)

Abstract

Individual and combined effects of xylazine, ketamine and their combination were studied on eighteen adult quails (Coturnix coturnix), equally divided into three groups i.e. A: xylazine (18mg/kg, IM), B: ketamine (60mg/kg, IM) and C: xylazine-ketamine combination (9mg/kg-30mg/kg, IM). Xylazine, ketamine and xylazine-ketamine combination produced smooth induction of their effects in 9.7 ± 2.11 minutes, 7± 1.56 minutes and 1.9 ± 0.53 minutes, respectively. Group A attained light plane of sedation and group B attained stage II anaesthesia along with superficial analgesia. In group C, birds showed a deep anaesthesia accompanied by deep analgesia. Mean durations of sedation and anaesthesia were 40.8 ± 3.99 minutes, 44.1±12.99 minutes and 77.8±18.62 minutes in groups A, B and C, respectively followed by a recovery phase with mean duration 22.3±2.66 minutes, 15.8±6.35 minutes and 34.6± 13.81 minutes in groups A, B and C, respectively. Birds in group B exhibited a rough recovery while recovery was smooth in groups A and C. It is concluded that the use of xylazine as sedative and xylazine-ketamine combination as anaesthetic is the most effective, safe and economic selection for quails especially under field conditions. Xylazine-ketamine combination is recommended as a good surgical anaesthesia to carry out painful manipulative procedures at the dosages used in this study. Use of ketamine alone is not recommended for quails.