Incidence
Out of 27, 12 buffaloes (44.44%) with average body weight 389.66±19.56 kg were reported during calving period; amongst them eight were primiparous suffering with dystocia since 11.83±0.85hrs. Per-vaginal examination revealed, uterine torsion followed by two each case of incomplete uterine dilatation and malpositioned foetus and in one case; the cause of dystocia was oversized foetus. Similar incidence of dystocia was drawn by
Purohit and Mehta (2006) in 103 cattle and 53 buffaloes.
Srinivas et al., (2007) concluded that, 142 graded Murrah buffaloes had dystocia contributing about 59.16% were maternal and 40.84% were foetal causes, respectively.
Uterine torsion was most common findings followed by incomplete cervical dilation; malpositioned foetus and emphysematous foetus. In uterine torsion, four cases showed more than 180 degree whereas remaining three cases, the degree of torsion was 180 degrees. In the same way, many researchers found that, major cause of dystocia in cattle and buffaloes are uterine torsion namely
Noakes et al., (2001) who reported 90% of uterine torsion in cattle and buffaloes;
Srinivas et al., (2007) found 83.33% of incidence of uterine torsion leading to dystocia;
Satish et al., (2018) reported 70.51% incidence of uterine torsion in buffaloes.
Thangamani et al., (2019b) observed 92.63% uterine torsion in graded Murrah buffaloes.
Clinical findings
Out of 12, eleven cases (91.66%) were presented with history of complete gestation length accompanied with relaxed sacrosciatic ligaments, teat engorgement and relaxed perineum with presence of foetal limbs outside the vulval lips. In one case (8.33%), the gestation length was incomplete showed signs of blood-tinged vaginal discharge and severe abdominal pain. Similar symptoms reported by
Bisla et al., (2018) and
Kumar and Solanki, (2018) in their study. Tachycardia was predominantly observed in all animals at 0
th hrs (71.00±0.63 per minute) and it was fluctuating throughout anaesthetic procedure even after completion of surgical procedure or recovery up to 135
th minute (68.17±0.44 per minute) could be due to septicemia. Body temperature in all animals at 0
th hrs (102.19±0.310F) and it was decreasing trend upto 135
th minute (98.72±0.550F) indicative of effect of anaesthetics. In present study, tachycardia and hypothermia was consistent finding could be due to septicemia or effect of general anaesthetic drugs on thermoregulatory system which coincides with the findings of
Frazer et al., (1996) and
Kumar and Solanki (2018).
Haematobiochemical findings
Non-significant changes were recorded in haematological values except mild neutrophilia was noticed at 0th min (49.55±6.39%) which was increased subsequently after anaesthesia (52.58±4.18%) might be due to mixed infectious. Similarly,
Phogat et al., (1991) and
Verma et al., (2018) observed neutrophilia and monocytosis in their study, however in present study non-significant changes were observed in monocytic count.
The average values of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine in all animals observed within the normal physiological range. Alkaline phosphatase in all cases were increased before (301.29±55.90 mg/dl), during (279.71±43.00 mg/dl) and after (243.23±25.42 mg/dl) relieving of dystocia or anaesthetic procedure indicative of significant rise its level may be few tissues like spleen, placenta, gastrointestinal mucosa,
etc. in body they always possess highest concentration of alkaline phosphatase activity. Our findings are homogenously related with
Pattabiraman and Pandit (1980);
Hussein and Abd Ellah (2008) and
Selvaraju et al., (2022).
The mean serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase values were 39.63±1.89 mg/dl; 42.89±1.89 mg/dl and 41.74±1.40 mg/dl revealed before; during and after relieving dystocia, respectively. There was increasing trend of SGPT level was noticed in present study indicative of significant changes could be due to cellular hypoxia or hepatocellular necrosis might produce moderate or marked elevation of serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase level (Table 1). The mean of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase values were 151.93±16.96 mg/dl; 160.51±18.05 mg/dl and 156.17±16.03 mg/dl revealed before; during and after relieving dystocia, respectively showed significant alteration. The present findings are in corroboration with
Ali et al., (2011); Jeengar et al., (2015) and
Selvaraju et al., (2022).
The quality of sedation was ranged between mild to moderate drowsiness characterized by lowering head, dropping of eyelids, shifting of weight and none of animals showed untoward reaction to sedation and allowed for easy induction of general anaesthesia in lateral recumbency. The average sedation time in our study was 3.75±0.25 minute after administration of xylazine intravenously. Similarly,
Hall and Clarke (2001) stated that, xylazine has been most effective sedative used in cattle and they found that, xylazine causes moderate drowsiness and lowering of head.
Lumb et al., (2007) stated that, use of xylazine is more effective than other analgesic and opioid for relieving the visceral pain and effectively sedate the animal which prevents the self-mutilated trauma.
Induction in eleven cases (91.66%) was smooth characterized by complete unconsciousness, loss of peripheral reflexes; however, some of them showed sluggish palpebral and corneal reflexes throughout procedure. Similar findings were reported by
Schindele et al., (1990) in their study.
Suryawanshi et al., (2023) used intravenous route of Inj. Diazepam @ 0.1 mg/kg and Inj. Ketamine @1 mg/kg to facilitate smooth induction Isoflurane in buffalo underwent for diaphrgmatic hernia and they found that, diazepam and ketamine found to be excellent which facilitate the induction of general anaesthesia.
Ratajczak et al., (1993) evaluated the combination of xylazine with the muscle relaxants (guaifenesin) and anesthetics (ketamine) and they found no complication or adverse signs.
The quality of induction in all animals was ranged between good to excellent. In cases of cesarean section, continuous infusion of a mixture of Guaiphenesin-ketamine (1000mg ketamine added to 1 litre of 5% Guaiphenesin) at approximately 2 ml/kg /hr. showed normal breathing pattern and relaxation of abdomen indicative excellent muscle relaxation or complete loss of muscle tone. Similarly,
Kerr et al., (2007) reported that, the quality of induction with Guaiphenesin-ketamine was excellent premedicated with xylazine in buffaloes. Furthermore
Dhawale et al., (2019) observed that, overall quality of induction of anaesthesia was good with Xylazine-ketamine-guaifenesin in cattle, sheep and goats.
In present study, Guaiphenesin produced moderate muscle relaxation in six cases (50.00%) in which the dystocia were relieved via maneuvering and modified Shafer’s techniques whereas in remaining six cases, cesarean was performed under ketamine and Guaiphenesin drip was continued till completion of procedure showed excellent muscle relaxation characterized by shrinking of flank with minimal change in cardiopulmonary function remains stable in correspondence with
william et al., (2007).
Mean duration of anaesthesia in present study for maneuvering technique and cesarean section was a 35.00±0.25 minute 132.00±0.18 minutes, respectively. The longest duration of anaesthesia
i.e. 95 minutes were recorded for cesarean section for handling of gravid uterus, maneuvering of fetus, removal of placenta, lavage of uterus, uterine suturing, abdominal suturing,
etc. Similarly,
Thurmon (1986) found that, major surgical procedures like cesarean section and hernia can be performed by using Guaifenesin-ketamine-xylazine in cattle.
Tank (2017) reported an average of 82.16 mins duration of anesthesia induced by ketamine, guaifenesin and maintained on isoflurane in butorphanol premedicated bovines.
The mean average score of relaxation jaw, limb and tail muscles in cases of maneuvering and cesarean section were 2.167±0.307 and 1.66±0.218, respectively. The excellent to good muscle relaxation was observed under ketamine and guaifensin anaesthesia featured by abdominal distention and stable respiratory rate.
William et al., (2007) stated that, muscle hypertonus is a feature of ketamine-based protocol and it should not consider as light level of anaesthesia. Good relaxation was noticed in animals that underwent for maneuvering technique for relieving dystocia whereas excellent muscle relaxation was recorded in the animals in cesarean section could be due to continuous infusion of a mixture of Guaiphenesin-ketamine maintained depth of anaesthesia with non-significant alteration of cardiopulmonary function in accordance with
Dhawale et al., (2019). Degree of analgesia in all cases was observed to be moderate to excellent quality, characterized by occasional to no response to pin prick at coronary band.
Khyum et al., (2021) observed that, guaifenesin as an adjunct to xylazine-ketamine was better than the induction rather than addition of Midazolam in cattle.
In our study, initially there was transient yet complete loss of gag reflex soon after induction of ketamine-guaifensin. However, during maintenance of anaesthesia, eight animals showed complete loss of gag reflex, three animals showed sluggish gag whereas in one animal, presence of tongue movement indicative of plane level of surgical anaesthesia. However, in ruminants jaw muscle tone always tonic or may be sluggish and this parameter signs cannot be used to evaluate the depth of anaesthesia as described by
William et al., (2007). In cases of cesarean section (6 cases) and partial fetotomy (1 case), the position of eyeball remains in the center indicative of deep level of surgical anaesthesia whereas in remaining cases the position of eyeball was located laterally (2 cases), latero-ventral (1 case), latero-medial (1 case) and medially (1 case). Similarly,
William et al., (2007) reported that eye ball never rotates in ketamine anaesthesia and remains at centre whereas nystagmus may indicate light level of anaesthesia in ruminant and swine.
In our study all animals were anaesthetized by the end of cesarean procedure just to avoid self-trauma. Sometimes there is no obligatory association between level of anaesthesia and physiological responses to anaesthesia; light level does not preclude severe hypotension or hypoxemia.
William et al., (2007) emphasized that, the anaesthetic level and its requirement is depending upon the magnitude of surgical stimulation, redistribution of drugs and its site and variation in body temperature.
Out of 12, nine animals (75.00%) showed smooth, uneventful and fast recovery and they assumed their water and feed intake after surgical or obstetrical procedure. Two animals (16.66%) showed signs like prolonged but smooth recovery characterized by shallow breath, intermittent tail and limb movement and changing sternal and lateral recumbency frequently. One animal (8.33%) showed little bit struggling and paddling could be arrtibuted to hallucination effect of ketamine. Similar anaesthetic recovery observed by
Hall and Clarke (2001) in cattle with xylazine-ketamine-guaifenesin combination followed by
Yamashita et al., (1996) and
William et al., (2007) in their studies.
