Research Perspective on Biological Science Vol. 10

Intravenous general anaesthesia in large ruminants is simple and easy to administer as it requires no sophisticated instruments like inhalation anaesthesia. General anaesthesia, such as ketamine, is an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist and induces a state called dissociative anaesthesia, producing profound analgesia without muscle relaxation. Surgical conditions like laparotomy, repair of diaphragmatic hernia, prepubic tendon rupture, thoraco pericardiotomy, repair of ventral hernia, etc., requiring general anaesthesia are frequently encountered in buffaloes. This study was designed to evaluate the effect on various haematological and biochemical parameters following administration of ketamine anaesthesia along with glycopyrrolate-diazepam, glycopyrrolate-butorphanol and glycopyrrolate-xylazine as preanaesthetics in 18 non-descript buffalo calves and were divided into three groups (A, B and C) with six animals in each. All the calves were administered glycopyrrolate @ 0.01 mg/ kg body weight through the intramuscular route prior to anaesthetic administration. Then the calves in all groups A, B and C were administered diazepam @ 0.5 mg/kg body weight, butorphanol @ 0.075 mg/kg body weight and xylazine @ 0.16 mg/kg body weight, respectively, through the intravenous route. Further, general anaesthesia was induced with ketamine @ 4 mg/kg body weight intravenously. Haematological parameters such as haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), total erythrocyte count (TEC), total leucocyte count (TLC), differential leucocyte count (DLC) and biochemical parameters such as serum glucose, serum total protein, serum urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were estimated before sedation (0) and at 30, 60,120 min. and 6 hrs post ketamine anaesthesia. Statistical analysis was performed using Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan’s Multiple range tests (DMRT).  Haematological investigations indicated a non-significant (P>0.05) reduction in Hb, PCV, TEC, TLC, and DLC after ketamine anaesthesia across all groups. Hyperglycemia was observed in animals from all groups following ketamine anaesthesia. There was significant (P<0.05) increase in Serum Glucose (mg/dl) value in group A and C at 30 min and 60 min following diazepam-ketamine and xylazine-ketamine anaesthesia respectively, while in group B, there was non-significant (P>0.05) increase in Serum Glucose value at 15 min after butorphanol-ketamine anaesthesia   Other biochemical indicators such as total serum protein, serum urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine levels exhibited non-significant (P>0.05) variations at different time points but stayed within the normal physiological limits. Thus, it can be concluded that the combinations of glycopyrrolate-diazepam-ketamine, glycopyrrolate-butorphanol-ketamine, and glycopyrrolate-xylazine-ketamine do not have any harmful effects on vital organs, and the changes stayed within physiological limits. Therefore, ketamine can be used safely and effectively as an induction agent in buffalo calves for general anaesthesia.