Indian Journal of Animal Research

  • Chief EditorK.M.L. Pathak

  • Print ISSN 0367-6722

  • Online ISSN 0976-0555

  • NAAS Rating 6.50

  • SJR 0.263

  • Impact Factor 0.4 (2024)

Frequency :
Monthly (January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December)
Indexing Services :
Science Citation Index Expanded, BIOSIS Preview, ISI Citation Index, Biological Abstracts, Scopus, AGRICOLA, Google Scholar, CrossRef, CAB Abstracting Journals, Chemical Abstracts, Indian Science Abstracts, EBSCO Indexing Services, Index Copernicus
Indian Journal of Animal Research, volume 49 issue 5 (october 2015) : 699-703

Analgesic and adjunct actions of nalbuphine hydrochloride in xylazine or xylazine and acepromazine premedicated horses

Harish Kulkarni, B. Justin William, Ravi Sundar George, T.A. Kannan
1Madras Veterinary College, Chennai-600 007, India.
Cite article:- Kulkarni Harish, William Justin B., George Sundar Ravi, Kannan T.A. (2024). Analgesic and adjunct actions of nalbuphine hydrochloride in xylazine or xylazine and acepromazine premedicated horses. Indian Journal of Animal Research. 49(5): 699-703. doi: 10.18805/ijar.5585.
The study was conducted in eighteen clinical cases of horses for diagnostic and surgical procedures requiring general anaesthesia were randomly divided into three groups, group I, group II and group III, each consisting of six cases. All the horses were premedicated with glycopyrrolate at the dose rate of 0.02 mg/kg body weight, intravenously. Horses in Group I and Group II were administered xylazine hydrochloride at the dose rate of 1.10 mg/kg body weight intravenously, whereas in Group III at the dose rate of 0.50 mg/kg body weight intravenously. In Group III, acepromazine was injected after xylazine administration, at the dose rate of 0.02mg/kg body weight, intravenously. Before induction of anaesthesia, nalbuphine hydrochloride was administered for Group II and Group III at the dose rate of 0.75 mg/kg body weight intravenously. Ketamine hydrochloride was administered intravenously to induce anaesthesia at the dose rate of 2.20 mg/kg body weight and maintained with 0.50 mg/kg body weight in required cases to maintain for duration of 15 ± 1.04 minutes. The mean time for induction in group I, group II and group III were 1.78 ± 0.27, 1.73 ± 0.10 and 1.85 ± 0.28 minutes respectively. The mean total number of additional doses of ketamine for standard duration of 15 ± 1.04 minutes surgery required in group I, group II and group III were 5.00 ± 0.36, 1.66 ± 0.33 and 2.00 ± 0.36 respectively. The quality of induction was 100 per cent smooth in group III, 83.33 per cent smooth and 16.67 per cent rough in group II and 66.66 per cent smooth and 33.34 per cent rough in group I. The quality of analgesia in group I, group II and group III were 2.83 ± 0.47, 1.83 ± 0.30 and 1.33 ± 0.21 respectively. The quality of muscle relaxation in group I, group II and group III were 3.16 ± 0.30, 1.50 ± 0.22 and 1.33 ± 0.21 respectively. The mean time for recovery in group I, group II and group III were 23.00 ± 1.52, 33.00 ± 0.93 and 41.98 ± 1.32 minutes respectively. The mean number of attempts for unassisted standing in group I, group II and group III were 6.66 ± 0.71, 5.00 ± 0.57 and 5.00 ± 0.36 respectively. The quality of recovery was 83.33 per cent smooth and 16.67 per cent rough in group III, 66.66 per cent smooth and 33.34 per cent rough in group II and 50.00 per cent smooth and 50.00 per cent rough in group I. None of the animals in any groups showed any intra and post operative complication.
  1. Baldessarini, R. J., 1996. Drugs and the treatment of psychiatric disorders psychosis and anxiety. In: Hardman JG, et al, editors. Goodman & Gilman’s the pharmacological basis of therapeutics. New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 399–430.
  2. Bienert, A., C. P. Bartmann and T. Von Oppen, 2003. Recovery phase of horses after inhalant anaesthesia with isofluorane (IsofloR) and postanaesthetic sedation with romifidine (Sedivet) or xylazine (Rompun). Dtsch. Tierarztl. Woschenschr., 110: 244–248.
  3. Bovil, J. G., D. L. Coppe, J. W. Dundee and J. Moore, 1971. Currrent status of ketamine anaesthesia. The Lancet., 19 : 1285-1288.
  4. Brunson, D. B. and L. J. Majors, 1987. Comparative analgesia of xylazine, xylazine / morphine, xylazine / butorphanol, and xylazine / nalbuphine in the horse, using dental dolorimetry. Am. J. Vet. Res., 48: 1087-1091.
  5. Carastro, S. M., 2004. Equine ocular anatomy and ophthalmic examination. Vet. Clin. Equin. 20: 285–299.
  6. Clarke, K. W. and B. S. Paton, 1988. Combined use of detomidine with opiates in the horse. Equin.Vet .J., 20: 331–334.
  7. Clarke, R. S. J., H. Jhohnston and B. Sheriden, 1970. The influence of anaesthesia and surgery on plasma cortisol, insulin and free fatty acid. Br. J. Anaesth., 42: 295-299.
  8. Daunt, D. A. and E. P. Steffey, 2002. Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists as analgesics in horses, Vet. Clin. Equin., 18: 39–46.
  9. Driessen, B., L. Zarucco, B. Kalir and L. Bertolott, 2011. Contemporary use of acepromazine in the anaesthetic management of male horses and ponies: A retrospective study and opinion poll. Equin. vet. J., 43(1): 88-98.
  10. Gaikwad, S. V., G. S. Khandekar, L. B. Sarkate, D. U. Lokhande, A. R. Chauhan, S. S. Vende and K.S. Choudhari, 2006. Clinic-physiological evaluation of acepromazine maleate in combination with xylazine-ketamine anaesthesia in horses. J. Bombay Vet. Coll., 14: 121-123.
  11. Gleed, R. D. 1987. Tranquilisers and sedatives, in practice of veterinary anaesthesia Edt. Short, C. F. Edn. I., Williams and Wilkens, London, pp. 16-21.
  12. Gross, M. E., 2001. Tranquilizers, alpha 2 adrenergic agonists, and related agents. In: Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 8th edn., Ed: H.R. Adams, Iowa State University Press, Ames. pp 299-342.
  13. Guzman, D. S., B. Kukanich, N. S. Keuler, J. M. Klauer and J. R. Paul – Murphy, 2011. Antinociceptive effects of nalbuphine hydrochloride in Hispaniolan Amazon parrots. Am. J. Vet. Res., 72(6): 736-740.
  14. Haskins, S. C., R. L. Peiffer and C. M. Stone, 1975. A clinical comparison pf CT 1341, ketamine and xylazine in cats. J. Am. Vet. Res., 36: 1537-1542.
  15. Hewes, C. A., G. C. Keoughan, S. G. Nibeyro, 2007. Standing enucleation in the horse: A report of 5 cases. Can. Vet. j., 48: 512 – 514.
  16. Hoffman, P. E., 1974. Clinical evaluation of the xylazine as a chemical restraining agent. Sedative and analgesics in horses. J. Am. Vet Med. Assoc., 164: 42-45.
  17. Hofmeister, E. H., M. J. Chandler and M. R. Read, 2010. Effects of acepromazine, hydromorphone or an acepromazine – hydromorphone combination on the degree of sedation in clinically normal dogs. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc., 237(10): 1155-1158.
  18. Hubbell J. A. E., 2009. Practical standing chemical restraint of the horse. Anaesthesia and pain management: In Proceedings of the annual convention of AAEP, published in IVIS. vol. 55: 2-6.
  19. Kawamata, T., H. Omote and H. Sonoda, 2000. Analgesic mechanisms of ketamine in the presence and absence of peripheral inflammation. Anesthesiology, 93: 520–528.
  20. [My paper]Lester, P. A., J. S. Gaynor, P. W. Hellyer, K. Mama and A. E. Wagner, 2003. The sedative and behavioral effects of nalbuphine in dogs. Contemp. Top. Lab. Anim. Sci., 42(4): 27-31.
  21. Mama, K. R., A. E. Wagner, E. P. Steffey , C. K, Baker, P. W. Hellyer and A. E. Golden, 2005. Evaluation of xylazine ketamine for total intravenous anaesthesia in horses. Am. J. Vet. Res., 66(6): 1002-1007.
  22. Matthews, N. S. and P. Van Dijk, 2004. Anesthesia and analgesia for donkeys. International Veterinary Information Service, Ithaca, NY.
  23. Matthews, N. S., S. M. Hartsfield and D. Mercer, 1998. Recovery from sevoflurane anaesthesia in horses: comparison to isoflurane and effect of post medication with xylazine. Vet. Surg., 27: 480–485.
  24. Mazar, J., B. Rogachev and G. Shked, 2005. Involvement of adenosine in the anti-inflammatory action of ketamine. Anesthesiology, 102: 1174–1181.
  25. Maze, M. and W. Tranquilli, 1991. Alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists: defining the role in clinical anesthesia. Anesthesiol. , 74: 581–605.
  26. Muhammad, S. A., A. A. Farooq, Ahmad khan, C. S. Hayat and A. Shakoor, 2004. Anaesthetic efficacy of nalbuphine HCl alone and in combination with propofol and ketamine HCl in dogs. Pak. J. Life Soc. Sci., 2: 40-42.
  27. Muir, W.W., R. T. Skarda and D. W. Milne, 1977. Effect of xylazine ketamine hydrochloride anaesthesia in horses. Am. J. Vet. Res., 38: 195-201.
  28. Muir, W. W., P. Lerche, J. T. Robertson, J. A. E. Hubbell, W. Beard, T. Miller, B. Badgley and V. Bothwell, 2000. Comparison of four drug combinations for total intravenous anaesthesia of horses undergoing Surgical removal of an abdominal testis. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc., 217(6): 869-873.
  29. Ogidiben, M. J. and D. E. Potter, 1991. Comparative effect of nictating membrane. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 32: 2799-2805.
  30. Ott, L. and Longneker, (2001). Completely randomized block design, In An introduction to statistical method and data analysis 5th Edn. Duxbury California, pp. 855-859.
  31. Robertson, S. A., 2004. Standing sedation and pain management for ophthalmic patients. Vet. Clin. Equin., 20: 485–497.
  32. Sankar, P., B. J. William, G. D. J. Rao, S. Prathaban, R. Suresh Kumar and V. Leela, 2010. Anaesthetic Evaluation Of Ketamine/Propofol In Acepromazine- Xylazine Premedicated Horses. Indian J. Anim. Res.., 44(2): 139 – 142.
  33. Thakur, B. P. S., S. K. Sharma, A. Sharma, and A. Kumar, 2011. Clinical Evaluation of Xylazine-Butorphanol-Guaifenesin- Ketamine as Short-TermTIVA in Equines. Veterinary Medicine International: 1-6.
  34. Visser, E. and S. A. Schug, 2006. The role of ketamine in pain management. Biomed. Pharmacother., 60: 341–348.
  35. Wagner, A. E., K. R . Mama and E. P. Steffey, 2008. A comparison of equine recovery characteristics after isoflurane or isoflurane followed by a xylazine-ketamine infusion. Vet. Anaesth. Analg., 35: 154–160.

Editorial Board

View all (0)