Evaluation of epidural administration of diclofenac sodium on hematobiochemical parameters, vital signs, electrical activity of heart and analgesia in sheep

This study was performed to evaluate analgesia and side effects of diclofenac sodium on vital signs, hematobiochemical parameters and electrocardiographic indices in Lori sheep after epidural anesthesia. Eighteen non-pregnant healthy sheep (3.00±2.46 years old) haphazardly separated into three groups and received the lidocaine (5 mg/kg), diclofenac sodium (5 mg/kg) or lidocaine (5 mg/kg) plus diclofenac sodium (5 mg/kg) via epidural injection into the first intercoccygeal space. Analgesia onset time and duration were recorded by needle testing on the tail, anus, perineum, vulva and inner thighs. Vital signs were recorded after epidural administration at 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. Also, electrocardiography, blood oxygen saturation levels and venous blood samples were taken from all sheep at 30, 60 and 120 minutes. Onset and duration of analgesia in the diclofenac group was significantly longer and shorter than the other groups (p<0.05), respectively. The results of this study showed that diclofenac sodium with lidocaine increases the quality of epidural analgesia in sheep and has no negative effect on electrocardiogram (ECG) components and arterial oxygen saturation (SPO2). But it decreases packed cell volume concentration (PCV), red blood cells (RBC) and white blood cells (WBC) count. Therefore, due to these changes, using of diclofenac sodium for epidural anesthesia in sheep is not recommended with or without lidocaine.