Cardiopulmonary effects of detomidine with or without atropine in diazepam premedicated dogs

Intramuscular administration of detomidine @50 μg/kg body wt and 100 μg/kg with or without at ropine sulphate @ 0.04 mgjkg body weight in intravenous diazepam @ 2 mg/kg body weight premedicated dogs revealed a significant (P<0.05) decrease in heart rate and respiratory rate. Cardiopulmonary effects included significant (P<0.05) decrease in minute volume, tidal volume, central venous and mean arterial pressures at peaksedation i.e. at 30 minutes, however, their velues returned to nearpreinjection level by 120 minutes. ECG changes following detomidine @ 100 μg/kg body wt. without atropine showed 2nd degree AN. block. Atropine preadministered animals showed a lessser degree of cardiopulmonary depression.