Comparative efficacy of Diazepam, Ketamine, and Diazepam-Ketamine combination for sedation or anesthesia in cockerel chickens

The comparative efficacy of Diazepam, Ketamine, and Ketamine-Diazepam combination was assessed in adult chickens. The chickens (n=30) were divided into three equal groups (G-1, G-2 and G-3), and were administered with Diazepam dosed at 0.5 mg/kg body weight (b.wt.), Ketamine HCL dosed at 20 mg/kg b.wt., and Ketamine HCL (dosed at 10 mg/kg b.wt.) combined with Diazepam (dosed at 2 mg/kg b.wt.) through intramuscular (IM) route. The means of induction period, duration of sedation or anesthesia, full recovery period and duration of analgesia were significantly (p≤0.05) differed among the groups. Also, the clinical and hematological parameters measured before and after the sedation or anesthesia within the groups were found to be differed significantly (p≤0.05) from each other. It was concluded that Diazepam dosed at 0.5 mg/kg b.wt. (IM) can be used in cockerels. However, combination of Ketamine (at 10 mg/kg IM)-Diazepam (at 2 mg/kg b.wt. IM) is preferably recommended as this combination is comparatively safer, and minimizes the pains elicited from the surgical procedure of using Diazepam alone.