Anaesthetic effects of xylazine/ketamine combination in New Zealand white rabbit

The anaesthetic effects of xylazine/ketamine drug combination was studied using New-Zealand white (NZW) rabbits. The animals were grouped into three as follows; Group A (Control) animals were pre-medicated with 5mg/kg xylazine (X) intramuscularly (i/m), followed 10 minutes later with 35mg/kg Ketamine(K) i/m .Group B animals were induced with a combination of xylazine/ketamine (XK) followed by a single incremental xylazine at a dose rate of 1.7 mg/kg administered at the time of loss of surgical analgesia. Group C animals were also induced using XK as in control group but incremental XK, 1.75mg/kg and 11.7mg/kg respectively administered as a single injection following onset of pain at the operating site. The result of the study indicate that the onset of anaesthesia marked by loss of righting reflex differ but not significantly (P >0.05) among the three groups. Duration of surgical analgesia lasted significantly (P Keywords : anaesthetic, xylazine, ketamine, New Zealand, rabbits Tropical Veterinarian Vol. 22(3&4) 2004: 106-112