The use of xylazine hydrochloride in an analgesic protocol for claw treatment of lame dairy cows in lateral recumbency on a surgical tipping table.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of xylazine on the stress and pain response of lame cows undergoing claw treatment in lateral recumbency (LR). Twenty-four lame, German Holstein-Friesian cows were included in a prospective, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical case study. Cows were randomly allocated to two groups (n=12) and either treated with xylazine (0.05 mg/kg BW, i.m.) or an equal volume of saline (controls) 15 min before placing them in LR. Before surgical treatment, each cow received retrograde intravenous local anaesthesia (LA). Over a period of 6h, heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), plasma concentrations of cortisol, glucose, lactate and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were determined at preset time intervals and the animals' behaviour was recorded via video recording and pedometer. All xylazine-treated cows showed signs of mild sedation, a reduced pain response on insertion of the needle for LA, reduced ear flicking during surgery, reduced lameness score and longer standing periods as well as improved appetite in the first hour postoperatively. Mean HR and RR, as well as plasma concentrations of NEFA were significantly reduced after xylazine treatment. Cortisol concentrations were significantly lower in xylazine-treated cows after being placed in LR but were similar to controls during surgery. The use of a low dose of xylazine in the analgesic protocol for the treatment of lame cows in LR alleviates stress and potentiates the analgesic effects of LA.

• Authors: Awad Rizk, Sarah Herdtweck, Jennifer Offinger, Henning Meyer, Adel Zaghloul, Juergen Rehage
• Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997) (Vet J) Vol. 192 Issue 2 Pg. 193-8 (May 2012) ISSN: 1532-2971 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22503720 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Analgesics
• Xylazine

Topics

• Analgesics (therapeutic use)
• Animals
• Cattle
• Clinical Protocols
• Double-Blind Method
• Equipment Design
• Female
• Hoof and Claw (surgery)
• Lameness, Animal (surgery)
• Pain Measurement (drug effects, veterinary)
• Patient Positioning (veterinary)
• Prospective Studies
• Stress, Physiological (drug effects)
• Surgical Equipment
• Treatment Outcome
• Xylazine (therapeutic use)