Haemato-biochemical response to buprenorphine or xylazine along with lignocaine for epidural analgesia in buffalo calves

The study was conducted in 15 healthy male buffalo calves to assess the safety of intercoccygeal epidural buprenorphine and xylazine in combination with lignocaine by estimating various haemato-biochemical parameters. Epidural administration of lignocaine alone or along with buprenorphine caused nonsignificant changes in various haematological parameters whereas lignocaine with xylazine resulted in significant decrease in haemoglobin, packedcell volume, total leucocyte count, total erythrocyte count, lymphocytes and significant increase in neutrophil count in buffaloes. Serum glucose, urea nitrogen, creatinine, amino alaninetransferase and amino aspartate transferase increased significantly in animals of group C (lignocaine + xylazine) whereas a nonsignificant decrease in serum total protein was observed, however, in animals of group A (lignocaine alone) and group B (lignocaine + buprenorphine) increase was non-significant. The increase in various haematological and biochemical parameters returned to base values within 24 h. Thus, epidural buprenorphine and xylazine along with local anaesthetic can be safely used in buffaloes as it caused transient haematobiochemical alterations, which attained normal physiological values within few hours.