Vol. 12, Issue 2 (2023)

The present study was undertaken to compare the physiological and cardiopulmonary effects in dogs after induction of anaesthesia with diazepam-ketamine and Zolazepam-tiletamine for abdominal surgeries. Twelve dogs presented to Small Animal Surgery Unit, VCRI, Namakwa were selected and divided into two groups comprising six animals in each group. Group I dogs were induced with ketamine-diazepam and Group II dogs with tiletamine-zolazepam. Both the groups were premedicated with atropine, dexmedetomidine and butorphanol and maintained with isoflurane. The physiological parameters such as heart rate, respiratory rate and rectal temperature were recorded preoperatively and during maintenance at 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes, whereas cardiopulmonary parameters such as saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO₂), mean arterial pressure, tidal volume and minute volume were recorded during maintenance of anaesthesia at 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes in both the groups. There is no significant difference in physiological and cardiopulmonary parameters between the groups. Heart rate was found to be increased in both the groups after induction, but it was less increase in group II compared to group I. Respiration rate and rectal temperature were decreased in both the groups during different intervals of anaesthesia. However, the changes in physiological parameters studied were within the physiological limits throughout the surgery in both the groups. The cardiopulmonary parameters such as SpO2, mean arterial pressure, tidal volume and minute volume were assessed during different time intervals of maintenance did not vary significantly. It can be concluded that based on the parameters studied both the anaesthetic protocols are found to be suitable and safe for abdominal surgeries in dogs. Further, studies are warranted to determine the anaesthetic efficacy of these protocols.