Comparison of lidocaine and its combination with ketamine for distal intravenous regional anesthesia (DIVRA) in bovines

The hoof diseases of cattle can be managed surgically under intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA). For routine induction of IVRA, a tourniquet is placed circumferentially at the metacarpus/metatarsus. In the present study, hoof diseases of cattle were corrected using a modified IVRA technique. The cattle with hoof ailments were randomly divided into two groups and a tourniquet was placed just distal to the dew claws instead of at the metacarpus/metatarsus in order to decrease the dose of anesthetic. In group I lidocaine (2mg/kg) and in group II a mixture of lidocaine and ketamine (2mg/kg+1.5mg/kg) was injected into the axial digital vein to induce distal intravenous regional anesthesia (DIVRA). The heart rate, respiration rate, systolic and diastolic pressure were unaffected in both groups. Oxygen saturation was significantly (P<0.05) lower between 5 and 60 minutes in group I and between 15and 40 minutes in group II animals. The sensory and motor block onset time was shorter, and the sensory and motor block recovery time was longer in group II animals as compared to group I animals. It was concluded that the DIVRA technique using lidocaine alone and lidocaine admixed with ketamine are suitable for hoof examination and surgery.