Biochemical Effects of Xylazine, Propofol, and Ketamine in West African Dwarf Goats

Anaesthesia was induced in West African Dwarf (WAD) goats using different combinations of propofol (P), xylazine (X), and ketamine (K), and the biochemical effect of the drugs determined. Twenty male (WAD) goats were randomly assigned to five treatment groups viz. Control (C) (2.5？mL IV normal saline); group K + X (5？mg/kg IV ketamine + 0.05？mg/kg IV xylazine), group P + X (5？mg/kg IV propofol + 0.05？mg/kg IV xylazine), group P + K (propofol 5？mg/kg IV + ketamine 5？mg/kg IV), and group P + K + X (propofol 2.5？mg/kg IV + ketamine 2.5？mg/kg IV + xylazine 0.05？mg/kg IV), respectively. There was increase ( ) in blood glucose in K + X, P + X and P + K + X. The serum cortisol level increased ( ) in all groups except in P + X. ALT value increased ( ) in K + X, P + K, and P + K + X. BUN increased ( ) in K + X but decreased ( ) in P + K + X. There was no significant variation ( ) in serum creatinine. These biochemical changes were transient. P + K + X would be the best drug combinations considering the biochemical parameter measured. However, data on blood glucose, ALT, BUN, and cortisol levels in an anaesthsized goat should be interpreted with caution in order to avoid erroneous interpretation in these animals. 1. Introduction In Southeastern part of Nigeria, West African Dwarf (WAD) goats are the most common type of goat rear for economic purposes, hence necessitating serious attention on the health status of the animal. Anaesthetic/sedatives play significant role in both human and animal during surgery especially in painful procedures. Propofol is a phenolic compound that has good quality anaesthesia, rapid onset, and short duration of action with rapid recoveries [1]. It lacks analgesic property and is combined with xylazine, an alpha-2-adrenoceptor agonist which has analgesic, sedative, and muscle relaxant effect, for painful procedure. Xylazine may produce cardiovascular and respiratory depression, temporal hyperglycemia in goats and cattle [2], and diuresis [3]. Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic agent that has profound analgesia and produces stable hemodynamic effects during anaesthesia [4]. Blood glucose is stable in ruminant most of the time because instead of being directly absorbed from the gut it is mainly derived by gluconeogenesis [5]. However, Eriksson and Teravainen [5] reported decrease in blood glucose concentration, following morning feeding of hay after which prefeeding level was restored within 2.5 hours. Cortisol secretion increases in response to any stress in the body such as illness, trauma, surgery, temperature extremes, and