Haematobiochemical Responses of West African Dwarf Goats to Epidural Ropivacaine Anaesthesia

Haematobiochemical responses following epidural administration of ropivacaine to West African Dwarf (WAD) goats were studied. Complete analgesia of the flank, abdomen and hindlimbs was achieved in all the goats. Transient non- significant (p > 0.05) increase in haematocrit and neutrophil values and a transient lymphocytopaenia were observed at 1 hour post epidural drug administration. There was also a transient non- significant increase (p > 0.05) in RBC, haemoglobin, WBC but decrease platelets at 1 hour post epidural drug administration. There was no significant difference in the values of the haematological parameters from baseline values except neutrophil and lymphocyte values which had significant (p<0.05) decrease and increase respectively at 3 hours post anaesthesia compared with the values at 1 hour post drug administration. There was a transient non-significant (p˃ 0.05) decrease in AST and ALT values, and a marked non-significant (p˃ 0.05) decrease in ALP value at 1 hour post drug administration in comparison with base line values. Creatinine and BUN had fluctuating values with no significant change. It was concluded that epidural ropivacaine anaesthesia produced good epidural analgesia with no systemic toxicity and without adverse effects on the haematology, renal and hepatic biomarkers in West African Dwarf goats and may be recommended as an alternative to other local anaesthetic amides especially in West African Dwarf goats with debilitating diseases, prolonged dystocia and chronic ruminal tympany, where drug toxicity and safety are major concerns.