EPIDURAL ADMINISTRATION OF ROMIFIDINE FOR SURGICAL ANALGESIA OF BUFFALOES UNDERGOING STANDING FLANK AND UDDER SURGERY

Abstract

aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of romifidineas epidural analgesic for standing flank and udder surgery inbuffaloes. For this purpose, romifidine was administered at dose 50μg kg-1 via epidural space in 20 female buffaloes had to undergoflank and udder surgery. Buffaloes were examined for time to onset ofanalgesia, anatomic extent of analgesia, all systemic reactions to thedrug and the total procedure time. Moreover, heart rates, rectaltemperature, respiratory rates, feces and urine production as well asthe degree of analgesia, sedation and ataxia were recorded atdifferent intervals before (baseline) and after administration. In allanimals, epidural injection of romifidine induced a significantdecrease in the heart rate. However rectal temperature andrespiratory rate didn’t show any significant changes. There was asignificant increase of analgesic effect with time progress. For allanimals, the peak analgesic period was extended from 15-240 minutespost- administration of romifidine. Ten minutes after epidural administration, all buffaloes began to show signs of systemic sedation(mild sedation, score = 1). Maximal sedative effect occurred between30 and 180 minutes after epidural administration of romifidine. Allbuffaloes developed moderate ataxia (score 2) 15-20 minutesfollowing epidural administration of romifidine and it lasted for up to240 minutes. All these results provide evidence for a potential costeffectiveintra- and postoperative method of analgesia for abdominaland udder surgery in buffaloes, while allowing the patients to remainstanding. Therefore, romifidine might be promising as an analgesicagent for buffaloes even for major abdominal surgery.