Comparison of xylazine and lidocaine effects for analgesia and cardiopulmonary functions following lumbosacral epidural injection in goats
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Date
1999
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Veterinary Medicine
Abstract
The present study was carried out in order to compare the effects of xylazine and lidocaine on
analgesia and cardiopulmonary parameters following epidural injection in goats.
Twelve healthy Small East African goats of both sexes (mean 2 SD; 15.6 2 1.9 kg body weight)
were used. The goats were randomly assigned to two groups of five and seven animals. The first group
(n = 5) was given 2 % lidocaine-HCl at 4400 mg/kg body weight. The second group (n = 7) was administered
2 % xylazine-HCl at 150 mg/kg body weight. All drugs were diluted in 5 ml of sterile water and were
injected epidurally through the lumbosacral interspace with the injection taking over 20 s.
Both drugs induced analgesia within 5 min. Signs of sedation, cardiopulmonary changes and lateral
recumbency developed within 5–7 min after administration of epidural xylazine. Tail flaccidity and hind
limb paralysis developed 3 min after epidural administration of lidocaine. The time from recumbency to
regaining normal stance was 60 and 158 min for xylazine- and lidocaine-treated animals respectively.
Xylazine induced adequate analgesia of the flank and perineum, which extended to the head and
forelimbs. In contrast, lidocaine induced adequate bilateral flank and perineal analgesia extending up to
the third thoracic vertebra. For both drugs, analgesia of the flank and perineum persisted for the entire
180-min observational period. Epidural injection of xylazine and lidocaine caused variable depression
effects on the cardiopulmonary values but was not so low as to cause concern.
It is concluded that lumbosacral epidural injection of xylazine at 150 mg/kg body weight in 5 ml of
water for injection offers the most desirable sedation and analgesia of the flank and perineum. The longer
duration of analgesia may be useful for postoperative analgesia and relief of continuous straining in goats.
Description
Journal of Veterinary Medicine 1999, A 49:605–611
Keywords
Xylazine and Lidocaine, Cardiopulmonary, Lumbosacral Epidural Injection, Small East African goats