EFFECTS OF MEDETOMIDINE WITH AND WITHOUT KETAMINE, AND ITS REVERSAL WITH ATIPAMEZOLE IN GOATS

Intramuscular administration of ketamine @ 5 mg/kg body weight in atro pine (@ 0.1 mg/kg I/M) and medetomidine (@ 15 mu g/kg I/M) premedicate d 12 male goats induced surgical anaesthesia in 10.62+/-0.18 min. Anae sthesia lasted for 46.66+/-4.40 min and the complete recovery occurred in 121.66+/-7.26 min. The administration of medetomidine @ 15 mu g/kg I/M in atropine @ 0.1 mg/kg premedicated goats induced sedation in 7. 12+/-0.46 min for 40.83+/-4.97 min with smooth and complete recovery o ccurring in 110.00+/-5.77 min. A significant (P<0.05) tachycardia foll owed by bradycardia, respiratory depression and hypothermia were seen after atropine-medetomidine or atropine-medetomidine-ketamine. Haemogl obin, PVC, TEC and TLC showed nonsignificant changes and the serum glu cose significantly (P<0.05) increased up to 2 hr which returned near p readministration level by 24 hr. Total proteins, serum urea nitrogen, creatinine, sodium and potassium remained unaltered. Atipamezole (15 m u g/kg I/V) effectively reversed the sedative and anaesthetic effects with the mean arousal time of 0.68+/-0.07 and 1.43+/-0.08 min. The mea n walking time 1.04+/-0.09 in animals given atropine-medetomidine and 2.30+/-0.41 min in animals atropine-medetomidine-ketamine.