Effect of Xylazine and Ketamine on Pulse Rate, Respiratory Rate and Body Temperature in Dog

For surgical intervention, anesthesia is an indispensible and most important pre-requisite in both humans and animals, which provide safety and maximum performance for the surgeon. Effect of anaesthesia depends on route of administration [1]. For canine surgery, it is given through inhalation or parenteral route. Intravenous administration is preferred and considered the safe route for early induction of anaesthesia. Important anaesthetic agent used by most of veterinarians is “Thiopental sodium” as the sole for surgical intervention. Its irregular availability and deficiency in the market make it difficult for veterinarians to perform surgery on canine [2]. In such situation scientists, surgeons and veterinarians looks for some other safe, suitable and reliable anaesthetic agents that can provide equivalent and better spectrum of anaesthesia for surgery [3]. Anesthesia is required in surgical procedures for the patient to be unaware, without pain and immobile. Ketamine 2-(2-chlorophenyl)-2(metthylamino), an arylcycloalkylamine which is structurally similar to cyclidine, like phencyclidine, eticyclidine, rolicyclidine and tenocyclidine [4]. It is an antagonist for NMDA-receptor, used in human and veterinary medicine. Ketamine also has effect on neurotransmitter system. It can produce state of dependence, which has been shown in various animal models. It is supported from the data of humans reported by WHO. The report explains that during monitoringits effects in recreational users are quite different from adverse effects in patients. It produces depression of CNS due to pharmacological effect that results disturbances in thinking, hallucination, motor function and perception [5]. Ketamine hydrochloride, having pKa of 7.5 is white crystalline and water-soluble. Ketamine free base has 10 times greater lipid solubility than thiopentone. It is commercially available for injection as an aqueous solution in the form of mixture hydrochloride salt, a pharmaceutical form. Xylazine is [2-(2,6 dimethyle phenyl amino)-4h-5,5 dihydro-1,3 thizine] thizine derivative classified as 2-alpha adrenergic agonist with sedative, analgesic and muscle relaxant properties. It can be used alone or in combination for minor surgical procedures [4,5]. Extensive studies have been carried out in various animal species such as sheep [6], goat [7], mare [8] and cattle to explore the sedative and analgesic role of Xylazine [9], and in combination with general and inhalant anaesthetics in rabbits [10]. Xylazine alone as sedative and analgesic has been commonly used in Dogs. Dog is a domesticated carnivorous mammal having typically an acute sense of smell, a whining, howling and barking voice with nonretractile claws and a long snout. All dogs are descended from wolves, by domestication and artificial selection. They have been bred from wolves originally by human for a long time. Dog is probably the first domesticated animal ever to be. Dog perform many roles for people, such as hunting, herding (also known as a stock dog or working dog), pulling loads, protection, companionship (A companion or pet animal is an animal which kept primarily for protection or company of person’s), assisting police and military [11,12]. The study was conducted to find out time dependent effects and functional significance of Xylazine and Ketamine on various physiological parameters i.e. pulse rate, respiratory rate and body temperature in dog.