Department of Veterinary Surgery and Reproduction, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
Lawal, F.M., Department of Veterinary Surgery and Reproduction, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Adetunji, A., Department of Veterinary Surgery and Reproduction, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
Effects of the epidural administration of 2mg/kg lignocaine - 1.5mg/kg xylazine mixture (LIG-XYL) were compared with the epidural administration of either 4mg/kg lignocaine alone (LIG) or 3mg/kg xylazine alone (XYL) in 5 cats. The cats were premedicated with intramuscular injection of atropine sulphate (0.04mg/kg) and ketamine hydrochloride (10mg/kg). Onset of analgesia, duration of analgesia, duration of recumbency and time to walking were determined. Changes in heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and rectal temperature (RT) associated with the epidural block were recorded at 10-min intervals over a 120-min time period. Epidurally administered LIG-XYL produced similar onset of analgesia (4.2±0.3min) to LIG (3.9±1.0min) and XYL (4.8±0.4min). Duration of analgesia with LIG-XYL (86.6±4.1min) was significantly (P<0.05) longer than with LIG (40.2±1.0min) but similar to that with XYL (92.7±5.9min). Duration of recumbency of 113.7±6.0min with LIG-XYL was longer than 64.0±1.9min with LIG but shorter than 147.4±15.8min with XYL. However, similar times to walking were found with LIG-XYL (8.4±1.8min), LIG (9.6±2.6min) and XYL (9.6±2.8min). Lower heart and respiratory rates were produced by LIG-XYL and XYL than by LIG. It was concluded that the epidural administration of LIG-XYL produced longer duration of analgesia, profound sedation and systemic depression similar to XYL but greater than that of LIG. LIG-XYL also had shorter duration of recumbency than XYL.