Effect of xylazine-ketamine-diazepam anesthesia on certain clinical and arterial blood gas parameters in sheep and goats

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of xylazine-ketamine-diazepam anesthesia on heart rate, respiration rate, rectal temperature, rumen motility, peripheral blood pH, PaO2, and PaCO2 in adult female nonpregnant Awassi sheep and adult female nonpregnant Damascus goats. Anesthesia was induced using 0. 1 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, and 0. 25 mg/kg xylazine, ketamine, and diazepam respectively as a single intravenous injection. The heart rate, respiration rate, rectal temperature, rumen motility, peripheral arterial blood pH, PaO2, and PaCO2 were evaluated 15 min before and at 15, 30, and 60 min during anesthesia. In sheep, the heart rate, rumen motility, and PaO2 were decreased significantly (P<0.05) at 15, 30, and 60 min following anesthesia. The respiration rate and rectal temperature and blood pH were decreased significantly (P<0.05) at 30 and 60 min. The peripheral PaCO2 was increased significantly (P<0.05) at 15 and 30 min. In goats, the heart rate and rumen motility were decreased significantly (P<0.05) at 15, 30, and 60 min while the respiration rate was decreased only significantly (P<0.05) at 60 min. Rectal temperature was decreased significantly (P<0.05) at 30 and 60 min. The blood pH was decreased significantly (P<0.05) at 15 and 30 min. PaO2 was only significantly (P<0.05) decreased at 15 min while PaCO2 was increased significantly (P<0.05) at 15 and 30 min. © Springer-Verlag London Limited 2009.