title: Medetomidine with ketamine and bupivacaine for epidural analgesia in buffaloes.
abstract: The efficacy of ketamine and bupivacaine in enhancing the epidural analgesia induced by medetomidine was evaluated in 10 buffalo calves utilized repeatedly after a gap of 10 days so that each drug combination was tested in 4 randomly selected animals. In group A, medetomidine (15 microg/kg), in group B ketamine (2.0 mg/kg), in group C bupivacaine (0.125 mg/kg), in group D medetomidine and ketamine (15 microg/kg and 2.0 mg/kg), and in group E medetomidine and bupivacaine (15 microg/kg and 0.125 mg/kg) was administered epidurally. Onset of analgesia was significantly earlier in animals of groups B and D compared to the animals of groups A, C and E. Medetomidine alone or in combination with ketamine/bupivacaine produced complete analgesia of the tail, perineum, inguinal region and upper parts of hind limbs. Ketamine produced a very short duration of complete analgesia at the tail and perineum. Bupivacaine alone produced only mild to moderate analgesia. Both ketamine and bupivacaine prolonged the duration of analgesia. Motor incoordination was mild to moderate in animals of all the groups, but animals remained standing throughout the period of observation. Animals of groups A, D and E showed mild to moderate sedation during the observation period. Ruminal movements decreased nonsignificantly in animals of groups A and E. Mild salivation was observed in animals of all the groups except group C. Significant decrease in heart rate (HR) was recorded after epidural administration of medetomidine or bupivacaine; however, ketamine caused short duration of tachycardia. The administration of ketamine with medetomidine caused lesser decrease in HR compared to medetomidine alone or in combination with bupivacaine. Significant fall in respiratory rate (RR) was recorded after epidural administration of medetomidine or bupivacaine alone, but an increase in RR was recorded after ketamine administration. The fall in RR was less pronounced in animals in which medetomidine was used with ketamine compared to the animals in which medetomidine was used alone or in combination with bupivacaine. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased and central venous pressure (CVP) increased significantly after epidural administration of medetomidine in combination with ketamine or bupivacaine. The ECG changes included tall T wave, QS pattern, RS pattern and ST elevation and heart blocks at different intervals, which were more frequent and pronounced in animals given bupivacaine with medetomidine. It can be concluded that epidural administration of medetomidine can produce complete analgesia of the tail, perineum, inguinal region and upper hind limbs in buffaloes. However, significant depression of cardiovascular parameters was recorded. Administration of ketamine along with medetomidine resulted in significantly early onset and slightly longer duration of analgesia with lesser cardiopulmonary side-effects compared to medetomidine alone or medetomidine with bupivacaine. Addition of ketamine to medetomidine thus seems to be useful for producing epidural analgesia; however, addition of bupivacaine failed to provide any advantage over medetomidine alone.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar (UP), 243 122, India.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.lastname: Amarpal
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kinjavdekar
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Aithal
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pratap
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000502:physiology; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D020926:Medetomidine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D007649:Ketamine; D020926:Medetomidine; D002045:Bupivacaine
references.citation: J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 1987 Mar;10(1):1-10
references.pmid: 2884329
references.citation: Anesthesiology. 1968 Sep-Oct;29(5):931-43
references.pmid: 5673151
references.citation: Am J Vet Res. 1994 May;55(5):670-80
references.pmid: 8067616
references.citation: Vet Surg. 1998 Jul-Aug;27(4):384-91
references.pmid: 9662784
references.citation: J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1993 Nov 15;203(10):1441-4
references.pmid: 8276706
references.citation: J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1977 Jan 15;170(2):216-9
references.pmid: 833047
references.citation: J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 1994 Apr;17(2):148-54
references.pmid: 7913727
references.citation: Eur J Pharmacol. 1976 Apr;36(2):313-20
references.pmid: 6285
references.citation: Vet Surg. 1996 Jul-Aug;25(4):361-9
references.pmid: 8810028
references.citation: Eur J Pharmacol. 1984 Nov 27;106(3):477-88
references.pmid: 6151509
references.citation: Vet Rec. 1990 Dec 8;127(23):567-71
references.pmid: 2288060
references.citation: J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1992 Oct 15;201(8):1187-90
references.pmid: 1429156
references.citation: Anesth Analg. 1993 Feb;76(2):295-301
references.pmid: 8093828
references.citation: Aust Vet J. 1995 Sep;72(9):354-5
references.pmid: 8585853
references.citation: Eur J Pharmacol. 1988 Dec 6;158(1-2):119-27
references.pmid: 2906007
references.citation: Anesthesiology. 1992 Jun;76(6):948-52
references.pmid: 1350889
references.citation: J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1982 Jun 15;180(12):1462-71
references.pmid: 6124527
references.citation: Anaesthesia. 1984 Oct;39(10):1023-8
references.pmid: 6496899
references.citation: J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1988 Dec 1;193(11):1405-8
references.pmid: 3209451
references.citation: Anesth Analg. 1994 Jun;78(6):1164-72
references.pmid: 8198277
references.citation: Acta Vet Scand Suppl. 1989;85:29-37
references.pmid: 2571275
references.citation: Anesth Analg. 1992 May;74(5):712-8
references.pmid: 1567040
references.citation: J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med. 2002 Feb;49(1):3-8
references.pmid: 11913823
references.citation: Vet Surg. 1995 Jan-Feb;24(1):73-7
references.pmid: 7701775
references.citation: J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 1993 Jun;16(2):199-206
references.pmid: 8102182
references.citation: Am J Vet Res. 1982 Aug;43(8):1343-8
references.pmid: 7103218
references.citation: J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1986 Aug 1;189(3):315-6
references.pmid: 3744994
references.citation: Anesth Analg. 1998 Nov;87(5):1186-93
references.pmid: 9806706
references.citation: Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1985 May;22(5):845-58
references.pmid: 2861606
references.citation: Am J Vet Res. 1998 Feb;59(2):162-7
references.pmid: 9492930
references.citation: Vet Surg. 1994 Mar-Apr;23(2):143-8
references.pmid: 8191674
references.citation: Am J Vet Res. 1999 Oct;60(10):1242-7
references.pmid: 10791937