Comparison of Different Ketamine-Xylazine Combinations for Prolonged Anaesthesia in Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus)

Twenty eight budgerigars of either sex were randomly divided into four groups and injected with ketamine (20, 40, 60 & 80mg/kg respectively) along with xylazine (10mg/kg) intramuscularly. The combination of 80mg/kg of ketamine with xylazine (10mg/kg) was found to produce the longest period (159.43 ± 15.87 min.) of anaesthesia. However, some cataleptic effects of ketamine were also recorded in birds of this group.