Clinical Evaluation of Anesthetic Combinations of Xylazine-Ketamine, Diazepam-Ketamine and Acepromazine-Ketamine in Dogs of Local Breed in Mekelle, Ethiopia

An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effects of general anesthetic combinations of various drugs i.e. xylazine - ketamine, diazepam - ketamine and acepromazine - ketamine combinations on anesthetic parameters; on physiological and hematological parameters so as to choose a suitable general anesthetic combination for use in surgical procedures in local breed of dogs in Mekelle, Ethiopia. The experimental study was carried out on fifteen local breed of dogs and were randomly divided in to three experimental groups with five dogs in each group. Data was collected for analyzing physiological effects of anesthetic combinations; anesthetic effects and hematological effects using physical recording and laboratory analysis. The results of this study showed duration of general anesthesia was (91 ± 6.28 min) and animal recovered (101.2 ± 6.5 min) and was longer in xylazine-ketamine combination, whereas duration of general anesthesia was (44.8 ± 1.92 min) and animal recovered (55.6 ± 3.85 min) and was shorter in diazepam –ketamine combination. The result also showed that the physiological and hematological parameters remained significantly unchanged during the anesthesia in all groups. Therefore, relation duration of action, xylazine and ketamine combination was a suitable choice for undertaking of surgical operations in dogs of local breed for longer duration of action i.e. (91 ± 6.28 min) whereas diazepam and ketamine combination was a suitable choice for shorter duration of action i.e. (44.8 ± 1.92 min). Further studies on several other anesthetic combinations i.e. (acepromazine + xylazine + ketamine and acepromazine + diazepam + ketamine) on local breed of dogs and several other anesthetic combinations may be conducted. Key words: Diazepam; Ethiopia; General anesthesia; ketamine; Local breed of dogs; Mekelle Abbreviations: AK-Acepromazine -Ketamine; ANOVA-Analysis of Variance; CSA-Central Statistical Agency; DK-Diazepam – Ketamine; DLDifferential Leukocyte Counts; EDTA-Ethylene Diamine Tetra acetic acid; GABAA-.Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid type A receptors; HbC-Hemoglobin Concentration; IM-Intramuscular; Kg-Kilo gram; mg-milligram; PCV-Packed Cell Volume; SD-Standard Deviation; SPSS-Statistical Package for Social Sciences; TEC-Total Erythrocyte count; TLC-Total Leukocyte count; XK-Xylazine - Ketamin