Clinical and haematobiochemical studies on ketamine and its combinations with diazepam, midazolam and xylazine for general anaesthesia in horses

Clinical and haematobiochemical effects of four intravenous anaesthetic drug combinations viz. ketamine alone (K), ketamine-diazepam (K-D), ketamine-midazolam (K-M) and ketamine- xylazine (K-X) were studied in six adult horses premedicated with butorphanol (0.06 mg/kg, i.m.) and xylazine (0.5 mg/kg, i.v.). After premedication, a significant decrease in heart rate was observed which increased significantly after induction. In all the groups heart rate again decreased significantly at maximum depth of anesthesia and returned to pretreatment values after 12 h. A significant decrease in respiratory rate and rectal temperature was observed in horses of all the groups through out the anaesthesia, which increased gradually and returned to pretreatment values at 6 h. Significant decrease in haemoglobin and PCV values was observed at max depth of anaesthesia in all the four groups of animals, which returned to baseline values within 12 h. A significant decrease in TLC was noted at complete sedation and at maximum depth of anaesthesia in all the groups of animals. DLC values fluctuated within normal physiological limits and returned to pretreatment values within 24 h in all the groups. Serum creatinine values registered a significant increase in K and K-M groups at complete sedation and at maximum depth of anaesthesia, respectively, which insignificantly and significantly decreased at complete recovery and at 12 h interval to attain pretreatment values. SGOT, SGPT, serum sodium and serum potassium decreased nonsignificantly and serum chloride increased nonsignificantly at sedation and at maximal depth of anaesthesia and touched the base line values with in 12 h.