Comparison of tramadol, lidocaine and tramadol-lidocaine combination for epidural analgesia in goats

The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic effect of tramadol, lidocaine and tramadol-lidocaine combination injected in the epidural space in goats. Nine goats were used to compare the epidural analgesic effect of tramadol (3 mg / kg), 2% lidocaine (2.86 mg/kg) and tramadol-lidocaine combination (1 mg /kg and 2.46 mg kg, resp.). Onset time, duration, and degree of analgesia and ataxia were recorded as well as Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), and biochemical parameters were recorded. Time to onset and duration of analgesia, were tramadol 10 min and 225 min; lidocaine 4 min and 85 min and tramadol-lidocaine 4 min and 130 min respectively. Onset time and duration were significantly longer with tramadol and tramadol-lidocaine combination than the other treatment. Ataxia was not observed in tramadol and mildly observed in tramadol-lidocaine combination and was severing in lidocaine. Tramadol and tramadol-lidocaine combination might be clinically useful to provide analgesia in goats for long-duration surgical procedures than lidocaine alone.