RESUMO
An experimental study was carried out to compare physiological effects [serum glucose level] of medetomidine in Red Sindhi cattle calves at three different doses i.e. 8, 10 and 12microg/kg body weight intravenously. Medetomidine produced a dose dependent significant [P<0.01] increase in serum glucose level with a maximum increase observed at 30 minutes with 8microg/kg, 10microg/kg and 12microg/kg body weight respectively. Start of sedation, degree of sedation and total duration of sedation were all dose dependent and the values obtained were significantly [P<0.01] different from each other. It was observed that the sedation was rapid, deep and longer with the higher doses of medetomidine i.e. 12microg/kg. The results of the present study shows that medetomidine is a very effective and safest drug use as sedative for calves which in lower doses [8microg/kg] can be used as a pre-anesthetic and for restraining of the animal, while higher calculated doses [10microg/kg, 12microg/kg] can be used to execute the minor surgical procedures