Comparison of bupivacaine, xylazine and buprenorphine with ketamine combination for spinal analgesia in buffalo calves

Aim: The study was undertaken to compare the clinical efficacy of lumbosacral spinal analgesia produced using bupivacaine, xylazine and buprenorphine with ketamine combination in buffalo calves Materials and Methods: 36 male buffalo calves of seven to eight months of age and weighing 60 to 75 kg were used to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lumbosacral spinal analgesia produced by bupivacaine 0.25mg/kg, xylazine 0.05 mg/kg and buprenorphine 20 mu g/kg in combination with ketamine 2.5mg/kg and divided into groups A, B and C, respectively with 12 animals in each group. Results: The onset of analgesia in animals of group A (bupivacaine + ketamine) was 3.0 +/- 0.3 min, group B (xylazine + ketamine) was recorded as 2.6 +/- 0.4 min and group C (buprenorphine + ketamine) 4.0 +/- 0.4 min. Ketamine-bupivacaine in animals of group A produced complete analgesia of almost all the dermatomes for varying lengths of time. So also the group B except that it produced only moderate analgesia of thorax, abdomen and flank. Animals of group C produced only mild analgesia of thorax, abdomen and flank and moderate analgesia of digits, perineum, inguinal, himd limbs and tail region. The longest (> 180 min.) duration of complete analgesia was recorded in animals of group A. The heart rate and respiration rate significantly decreased in group A and B than group C, so also the rectal temperature. Sedation recorded was maximum in group B fallowed by group A and least sedation scores were given by group C animals. Similiarly the scores of motor incordination was higher in group B and group A than group C. Conclusion: It was concluded that the combinations viz. Bupivacaine+ Ketamine and Xylazine + ketamine when given intraspinally at the lumbosacral space have similar analgesic potency on spinal administration in buffaloes. The synergism is more pronounced in xylazine-ketamine combination, whereas Buprenorphine + ketamine combination in the above said dose is a poor analgesic agent when used intraspinally at the lumbosacral space in buffalo calves.