Anesthetic, physiologic and hematologic effects of three pentobarbitone drug combinations in rabbits

Abstract

This study investigated the anesthetic, physiologic and hematologic effects of atropine- pentobarbitone, atropine-xylazine-pentobarbitone and atropine-acepromazine-pentobarbitone drug combinations in rabbits. The duration of anesthesia was significantly (p<0.05) longer in the atropine-acepromazine-pentobarbitone anesthetized rabbits. All drug combinations induced severe respiratory depression greater than 45%. The percentage depression of heart rate in atropine- acepromazine-pentobarbitone group was significantly (p<0.05) lower than heart rate depression in atropine-pentobarbitone and atropine-xylazine-pentobarbitone groups. The red blood cell and packed cell volume of the rabbits in all the groups were significantly (p<0.05) lower than their baseline values during anesthesia. The white blood cell counts of atropine-pentobarbitone treated rabbits increased significantly (p<0.05) during anesthesia. This study showed that administration of the drug combinations caused severe respiratory depression, cardiovascular depression and decrease in the erythrocytes count. We concluded that pentobarbitone and its drug combinations are unsuitable for rabbit anesthesia. © 2012 Academic Journals Inc.