Comparison of Xylazine-Ketamine and Medetomidine-Ketamine Anaesthesia in the Iberian Ibex () Encarna Casas-Díaz, Ignasi Marco, Jorge R
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Comparison of xylazine-ketamine and medetomidine-ketamine anaesthesia in the Iberian ibex () Encarna Casas-Díaz, Ignasi Marco, Jorge R. López-Olvera, Gregorio Mentaberre, Santiago Lavín To cite this version: Encarna Casas-Díaz, Ignasi Marco, Jorge R. López-Olvera, Gregorio Mentaberre, Santiago Lavín. Comparison of xylazine-ketamine and medetomidine-ketamine anaesthesia in the Iberian ibex (). Eu- ropean Journal of Wildlife Research, Springer Verlag, 2011, 57 (4), pp.887-893. 10.1007/s10344-011- 0500-7. hal-00667595 HAL Id: hal-00667595 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00667595 Submitted on 8 Feb 2012 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Eur J Wildl Res (2011) 57:887–893 DOI 10.1007/s10344-011-0500-7 ORIGINAL PAPER Comparison of xylazine–ketamine and medetomidine–ketamine anaesthesia in the Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) Encarna Casas-Díaz & Ignasi Marco & Jorge R. López-Olvera & Gregorio Mentaberre & Santiago Lavín Received: 6 October 2010 /Revised: 13 January 2011 /Accepted: 17 January 2011 /Published online: 8 February 2011 # Springer-Verlag 2011 Abstract A comparison was made between two anaes- major differences in the different drug combinations used, but thetic combinations in 35 free-ranging adult Iberian clinical findings of this study, as well as hypoxemia, ibexes (Capra pyrenaica), from May to December 2005. hypothermia and bradycardia, were important records that Sixteen ibexes (10 males, 6 females) were captured using should be taken into account when performing a safe xylazine–ketamine (3.0±0.4+3.0±0.4 mg/kg) and 19 operation. ibexes (12 males, 7 females) with medetomidine–ketamine (0.10±0.02+2.1±0.3 mg/kg). Anaesthetic times were Keywords Anaesthesia . Capra pyrenaica . Iberian ibex . evaluated, as well as clinical variables (respiratory and heart Medetomidine . Ketamine . Xylazine rates, rectal temperature, haemoglobin oxygen saturation), haematological and biochemical variables, at the time of induction and after 1 h. The heart rate of ibex immobilized Introduction with medetomidine–ketamine was higher than those immo- bilized with xylazine–ketamine. Stabilization of the heart rate Anaesthesia is useful for handling of species that are highly of ibex immobilized with medetomidine–ketamine came sensitive to stress or especially aggressive. However, it does earlier than those immobilized with xylazine–ketamine. not completely eliminate or prevent stress or capture Rectal temperature decreased and stabilized in both groups, myopathy, possibly due to pursuit of the animal before but earlier in the xylazine–ketamine group, and hypoxemia and after the anaesthetic drug injection (Harthoorn 1982; was observed in both groups. The white blood cell count of Jessup 1999). ibex immobilized with medetomidine–ketamine was lower For anaesthesia in the domestic goat, single-drug proto- than those immobilized with xylazine–ketamine throughout cols or a combination of drugs from two anaesthetic groups anaesthesia, while sodium concentration was higher only after have been used (Pawde et al. 1996; Afshar et al. 2005; 1 h of anaesthesia. In ibex immobilized with xylazine– Mahmood and Mohammad 2008). The use of a single ketamine, the neutrophil count, serum creatinine kinase anaesthetic drug is very rare in wildlife, it being more activity and aspartate aminotransferase activity increased after common to associate two or more drugs to obtain the 1 h of immobilization, while triglycerides decreased. Changes desired effect. The most frequently used anaesthetic found in haematological and biochemical variables suggest no combinations in wild ungulates are ketamine–xylazine, etorphine–acepromacine, tiletamine–zolazepam and mede- Communicated by F. Kaup tomidine–ketamine (Caulkett and Haigh 2007). Either * : : : xylazine or medetomidine, in combination with ketamine, E. Casas-Díaz (: ) I. Marco J. R. López-Olvera G. Mentaberre S. Lavín are used in different ungulate species, such as aoudads Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament (Ammotragus lervia), mouflon (Ovis musimon), axis deer de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Edifici V, Facultat de Veterinària, (Cervus axis), fallow deer (Cervus dama), common red Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, ’ Barcelona, Spain deer (Cervus elaphus), Pere David s deer (Elaphurus e-mail: [email protected] davidianus) and Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex) (Golightly 888 Eur J Wildl Res (2011) 57:887–893 and Hofstra 1989; Jalanka and Roeken 1990; Peinado et al. Polestar Oy, Kempele, Finland). Ultrasonography gel was 1999). used to ensure good contact between the electrodes and the The Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) is used in trans- skin (Geleco®, Novartis, Barcelona, Spain). The receiver locations and ecological studies in Spain, for which its was placed in a plastic collar around the neck, since it must capture is common practice. The species has a marked be less than 1.5 m from the transmitter. In addition, rectal sexual dimorphism with higher body weight and larger probes to record temperature were used (Mätman data- horns in males, making handling difficult and involving logger®, Chipsobits Eltex AB, Osby, Sweden). personal risk when using physical capture methods. Risks The heart rate monitor was left in place for 43.9± are lower if teleanaesthesia is used for animal immobiliza- 11.5 min (mean ± SD) and rectal probes for 40.0±11.2 min tion. The application of different anaesthetic combinations (mean ± SD). Both variables were recorded every 60 s, the and methods provides new, hitherto unpublished, informa- recorded series being saved and turned into numerical tion for this species, thus facilitating the choice of chemical values with their respective software. For statistical analy- anaesthesia and method involving the lowest risk for both sis, a mean value for every 5 min was calculated for both humans and animals. heart rate and rectal temperature. Stability times were In this study, two anaesthetic combinations—xylazine– calculated in the heart rate and temperature. These times ketamine (XK) and medetomidine–ketamine (MK)—were were determined comparing the values along the period of studied to determine differences in anaesthetic times, as study and establishing as time of stabilization the minute well as clinical, haematological and biochemical variables from which differences were not statistically significant in the free-ranging Iberian ibex. with the following minutes. Respiratory rate and haemoglobin oxygen saturation was monitored every 10 min throughout anaesthesia. The respira- Materials and methods tory rate was determined by direct observation of the costal wall movements; haemoglobin oxygen saturation was mea- Thirty-five adult Iberian ibexes were captured in the Sierra sured with a pulse oximeter with a probe attached to tongue Nevada National Park, (El Toril estate, 37°03′N, 3°34′O), in (Vet/Ox® 4404, Heska Corporation, Fort Collins, Colorado, Southern Spain, from May to November 2005. The animals USA). Time of initial effect was defined as the interval were immobilized by remote darting using a CO2 powered between the time of darting and onset of ataxia. Time to rifle (DAN-Inject, model JM Special, Børkop, Denmark) recumbency was the interval between darting and the time that within a corral trap. The anaesthetic combinations used the ibex lay down in sternal recumbency. The time from were xylazine (3.0±0.4 mg/kg, mean ± SD) (Xilagesic® darting to safe handling of animals was defined as induction. 20%, 200 mg/ml, Laboratorios Calier, Barcelona, Spain) After 1 h of induction, the antagonist was administered. First with ketamine (3.0±0.4 mg/kg, mean ± SD) (Imalgène® arousal was defined as the point when the animal began to lift 1000, 100 mg/ml, Merial, Lyon, France) in 16 animals (10 its head. The time from atipamezole administration up to males, 6 females), and medetomidine (0.10±0.02 mg/kg, when the animal returned to a standing position and mean ± SD) (Zalopine®, 10 mg/ml, Orion Pharma, Espoo, ambulation, with some minor ataxia, was defined as recovery. Finland) with ketamine (2.1±0.3 mg/kg, mean ± SD) in 19 Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein animals (12 males, 7 females). Administered intramuscu- when the animal was anesthetized (T0) and after 1 h (T1). larly antagonist doses were 1 mg atipamezole (Antisedan®, Two millilitres were placed in commercial tubes containing Orion Pharma, Espoo, Finland) per 10 mg xylazine, and tripotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as 5 mg atipamezole per 1 mg medetomidine. The mean body anticoagulant. The remaining blood was placed in tubes weight ±SD was 52.0±11.4 and 28.9±4.5 kg for males and with polystyrene granules to facilitate coagulation and females, respectively. Five days were necessary to capture serum separation. The samples were kept in a portable the animals (3 days in May and 2 days in November 2005). refrigerator for processing, always within 12 h. The Iberian ibexes were captured in a corral trap (100× Animal care activities and study procedures were 50 m) baited with food to attract