Alpha-2 agonists with diazepam as preanesthetics to ketamine anaesthesia in goats: Physiological and haematological study

Ketamine was used for induction of anaesthesia after premedication with diazepam-xylazine (group A), diazepam-medetomidine (group B), diazepam-romifldine (group C) and diazepam alone (group D) in atropinised goats Slight and transient increase in heart rate and rectal temperature was seen after the administration of alpha-2 agonists Heart rate increased further but temperature decreased after ketamine administration It was maximum in the animals of group C. Respiration rate remained within normal range after premedication in all the groups Administration of ketamine led to a sharp but short lived rise in respiration rate at 5 min interval in all the groups Reduction in PCV, Hb and TEC, neutrophilia and lymphocytopaema were observed in all the groups at 1/2 to 1 hr after the induction of ketamine anaesthesia which returned to preadministration levels by 24–48 hrs