A comparative study of thiopental and thiopental– propofol admixture with xylazine premedicated donkeys

Abstract

The anesthetic property between thiopental (T) and thiopental–propofol mixture (TP) was evaluated in six adult donkeys premedicated with xylazine (X) . Each donkey was anesthetized one time with each dose of (T) (10 mg/kg) and (TP)(5mg/kg+1mg/kg, intravenous respectively) five minutes later of premedication with (X) (1 mg/kg, I.V.). The following anesthetic parameters; induction of anesthesia, duration and quality of anesthesia, narcosis and standing time after recovery, heart and respiratory rates, were qualitatively and quantitatively assessed.The results did not show any significant difference at the level of (p<0.05) between both anesthetic protocols. But, clinically, anesthesia with (T) produce rapid, smooth, and free of excitement induction (18.50 ± 9.88 sec) with apnea (25 ± 8.8 sec). Thiopental produced anesthesia characterized by; good muscle relaxation, narcosis (30.50 ± 5.42 min) and surgical anesthesia (20.25 ± 3.47 min). Recovery was smooth and the standing time lasted for (35.50 ± 10.53 min). While anesthesia with (TP) characterized by a smooth induction (37.75 ± 11.44 sec) and without apnea, good muscle relaxation, and the duration of anesthesia (17.7 ± 1.03 min) and narcosis (23.25 ± 0.62min) was shorter than (T). Recovery was smooth and standing time after recovery was longer than (T) (47.50 ± 12.66 min).In conclusion, both protocols produced good anesthesia in donkeys, but (TP) anesthesia may be a clinically usable technique for induction of anesthesia in donkeys