Analgesic, Sedative and Locomotion Effects Induced By Lumbobacral Epidural Injection of Xylazine in Goats

Abstract

Three doses (50µg, 100µg and 150µg/kg body weight) of xylazine were evaluated for flank and perineal analgesia after epidural injection in goats. Seven clinically healthy, Small Fast African goats of both sexes weighing from 12.5kg to 16kg (Mean±SD; 10.8±4.6kg) were used. The seven goats were randomly assigned to each of the three doses with a one-week interval between subsequent injections. For each dose, one animal was used for sedative and locomotion study while the rest were used for analgesia studies. All doses were injected epidurally through the lumbosacral interspace with the injection taking over 20 seconds. All the three doses induced moderate to adequate analgesia of the flank and perineum within 5 minutes, and persisted for the entire 180 minutes observational period. Sedation and locomotion effects induced by lumbosacral epidural injection of xylazine at the given doses were typical of alpha-adrenergic receptor agonists. It was concluded that lumbosacral epidural injection of xylazine at doses of 50µg, 100µg and 150µg/kg body weight induced sedation and prolonged analgesia of the flank and perineum in goats. The long duration of analgesia may be useful for postoperative analgesia and procedures involving the flank and perineum. However, further work is needed to ascertain the suitability of these doses as sole agents for procedures involving the flank and perineal regions in goats.