Evaluation of sevoflurane and isoflurane as maintenance agent in buffaloes after glycopyrrolate-xylazine-butorphanol-propofol anaesthesia

The study was aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of isoflurane and sevoflurane as maintenance agent in a balanced anaesthetic combination for buffaloes undergoing diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy. Twelve clinical cases of diaphragmatic hernia in female buffaloes were randomly selected and assigned to two groups (PS and PI) of six animals each. After premedication with glycopyrrolate, xylazine and butorphanol, induction was done with propofol. For maintenance, either sevoflurane (PS) or isoflurane (PI) was used with oxygen through a partial rebreathing system. Clinical, physiological, behavioral, haematological and biochemical parameters were recorded at different intervals. No significant differences were observed in maintenance scores, degree of muscle relaxation as well as haematological and blood biochemical parameters between the groups. The heart and respiratory rates were observed to be less depressed in PS than in PI. The recovery and standing with ataxia in PS was significantly earlier than the PI. Both isoflurane and sevoflurane were found to be safe and effective maintenance anaesthetic agents for buffaloes undergoing diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy; however, the sevoflurane was assessed to be slightly better as maintenance agent because of faster recovery and lesser cardiovascular depression than isoflurane.