Lumbosacral Epidural Analgesia with Ketamine Alone or in Combination with Xylazine in Dogs

1Abubakar* A.A., 1David G., 1Yakubu A.S., 1Lawal F.M. and 2Mamman M.O.

Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria 2Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria

corresponding Author: babaji32002@gmail.com, phone: +2348036659884

Abstract :

The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality of analgesic effect on selected vital physiological parameters and complete haematological profiles. The study was performed on ten healthy adult dogs. The dogs had no abnormal finding upon physical examination. The dogs were randomly divided into ketamine alone (KA) and combination of ketamine + xylazine (KX) groups. Dogs in KA group were given fixed doses of ketamine at 10mgkg-1 through lumbosacral epidural space. Group KX were given ketamine at 10mgkg-1 in combination with Xylazine at 0.5mgkg-1 via the same route. There was complete analgesia caudal to the thoracic region in both the groups. The mean onset of analgesia in group KA was shorter (2.2±0.45) compared with group KX (2.8±0.84). Duration of analgesia in group KX was longer (60±12.23) compared with (50±7.07) in KA group. There was transient increase in heart and respiratory rates in all the groups with significant differences. There was decrease in RBC, Hb, PCV and RDW with significant differences. Transient decrease in total WBC, total granulocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes was also noticed with significant differences. There was also decrease in total platelets, platelets critical value, mean platelets volume and platelets dimension width with significant difference at. It was concluded that single lumbosacral epidural administration of ketamine (10mgkg-1 ) alone or in combination with xylazine (0.5mgkg-1 ) can produce analgesia caudal to thoracic region with minimal cardiopulmonary and haematological effects. Key words: Lumbosacral, epidural, ketamine, xylazine, dogs