[Hyperglycemic and therapeutic action of nontranquilizing doses of xylazine in healthy sheep and cows and in cows with subclinical ketosis].

Experiments with 19 sheep and 26 cows revealed that subcutaneous and muscular injection of xylasine (Rompun - Bayer at 0.04 to 0.08 mg/kg body mass) led to a dependable increase in the level of blood sugar by 50-220 per cent for a period of 1 to 3 hrs. At the 6th to the 24th hour the amount of blood sugar came back to normal. In cows with subclinical ketosis (ketonuria ++ to +++ after Lastradet's test) and hypoglycaemia (blood sugar 29.7 +/- 4.6 mg%) the injection of xylasine (0.05-0.08 mg/kg body mass) increased the level of blood sugar by 169 to 185 per cent, which remained at a comparatively high level up to the 24th hour. Ketonuria dropped, however, full dusapperance of ketone bodies in the urine was observed in 7 per cent of the treated animals only. It is believed that although there was a pronounced hyperglycaemic effect of the preparation it cannot be applied alone for the treatment of ketosis-affected cows. It is important as an additional means, particularly with animals affected with the nervous form of the disease.