Analgesic and adjunct actions of nalbuphine hydrochloride in xylazine or xylazine and acepromazine premedicated horses

Abstract

The study was conducted in eighteen clinical cases of horses for diagnostic and surgical procedures requiring general anaesthesia were randomly divided into three groups, group I, group II and group III, each consisting of six cases. All the horses were premedicated with glycopyrrolate at the dose rate of 0.02 mg/kg body weight, intravenously. Horses in Group I and Group II were administered xylazine hydrochloride at the dose rate of 1.10 mg/kg body weight intravenously, whereas in Group III at the dose rate of 0.50 mg/kg body weight intravenously. In Group III, acepromazine was injected after xylazine administration, at the dose rate of 0.02mg/kg body weight, intravenously. Before induction of anaesthesia, nalbuphine hydrochloride was administered for Group II and Group III at the dose rate of 0.75 mg/kg body weight intravenously. Ketamine hydrochloride was administered intravenously to induce anaesthesia at the dose rate of 2.20 mg/kg body weight and maintained with 0.50 mg/kg body weight in required cases to maintain for duration of 15 ± 1.04 minutes. The mean time for induction in group I, group II and group III were 1.78 ± 0.27, 1.73 ± 0.10 and 1.85 ± 0.28 minutes respectively. The mean total number of additional doses of ketamine for standard duration of 15 ± 1.04 minutes surgery required in group I, group II and group III were 5.00 ± 0.36, 1.66 ± 0.33 and 2.00 ± 0.36 respectively. The quality of induction was 100 per cent smooth in group III, 83.33 per cent smooth and 16.67 per cent rough in group II and 66.66 per cent smooth and 33.34 per cent rough in group I. The quality of analgesia in group I, group II and group III were 2.83 ± 0.47, 1.83 ± 0.30 and 1.33 ± 0.21 respectively. The quality of muscle relaxation in group I, group II and group III were 3.16 ± 0.30, 1.50 ± 0.22 and 1.33 ± 0.21 respectively. The mean time for recovery in group I, group II and group III were 23.00 ± 1.52, 33.00 ± 0.93 and 41.98 ± 1.32 minutes respectively. The mean number of attempts for unassisted standing in group I, group II and group III were 6.66 ± 0.71, 5.00 ± 0.57 and 5.00 ± 0.36 respectively. The quality of recovery was 83.33 per cent smooth and 16.67 per cent rough in group III, 66.66 per cent smooth and 33.34 per cent rough in group II and 50.00 per cent smooth and 50.00 per cent rough in group I. None of the animals in any groups showed any intra and post operative complication.