Influence of Atropine Premedication on Cardiac Rate in Donkeys Injected with Xylazine and Xylazine - Ketamine Combination

The study was carried out in four groups of 5 donkeys each to evaluate the influence of atropine sulphate premedication on cardiac rate in donkeys injected with xylazine and xylazine –ketamine combination. Where atropine was given, it was injected subcutaneously at a dosage of 0.1 mg /kg. Xylazine hydrochloric (2.0 mg/ kg) and the drug combination xylazine (2.0 mg/ kg) – ketamine hydrochloride (4.4 mg/kg) were injected intramuscularly. Where the drug combination xylazine –was given, the two drugs were mixed together and given in the same syringe. Group 1- animals were injected with xylazine, group2 with atropine and xylazine, group 3 with xylazine and group 4 with atropine- xylazine-ketamine. The Kenya Veterinarian Vol. 21 2001: pp. 26-28