Immobilization of Captive Kulans (Equus hemionus kulan) Without Using Ultrapotent Opioids.
Abstract: Etorphine is widely used in zoological medicine for the immobilization of large herbivores. All reported immobilization protocols for kulans use etorphine as the primary immobilizing agent. However, etorphine can trigger severe side effects and is highly toxic for humans, its availability is occasionally limited for use in wildlife medicine. Therefore, two different alpha-2 agonist-based protocols for the general anesthesia of kulans were investigated and compared with the standard etorphine immobilization. In total, 21 immobilizations were performed within the scope of routine husbandry management at the Serengeti-Park Hodenhagen. Kulans were darted using a ketamine-medetomidine-midazolam-butorphanol (KMMB) protocol (n = 8, treatment group (TG) 1), a tiletamine-zolazepam-medetomidine-butorphanol (TZMB) protocol (n = 7, treatment group (TG) 2), or an etorphine-acepromazine-detomidine-butorphanol (EADB) protocol (n = 6, control group). Vital parameters included heart rate, respiratory rate, arterial blood pressure (invasive), end tidal CO2 (etCO2), electromyography and core body temperature, which were all assessed every 10 min. For blood gas analysis, arterial samples were collected 15, 30, 45 and 60 min after induction. Subjective measures of quality and efficacy included quality of induction, immobilization, and recovery. Time to recumbency was longer for TG 1 (9.00 ± 1.67 min) and TG 2 (10.43 ± 1.79 min) compared to the induction times in the control group (5.33 ± 1.93 min). Treatment group protocols resulted in excellent muscle relaxation, normoxemia and normocapnia. Lower pulse rates combined with systolic arterial hypertension were detected in the alpha-2 agonist-based protocols. However, only in TZMB-immobilized kulans, sustained severe systolic arterial hypertension was observed, with significantly higher values than in the TG 1 and the normotensive control group. At 60 min following induction, medetomidine and detomidine were antagonized with atipamezole IM (5 mg/mg medetomidine or 2 mg/mg detomidine), etorphine and butorphanol with naltrexone IV (2 mg/mg butorphanol or 50 mg/mg etorphine), and midazolam and zolazepam with flumazenil IV (0.3 mg per animal). All three combinations provided smooth and rapid recoveries. To conclude, the investigated treatment protocols (KMMB and TZMB) provided a safe and efficient general anesthesia in kulans with significantly better muscle relaxation, higher respiration rates and improved arterial oxygenation compared with the immobilizations of the control group. However, the control group (EADB) showed faster recoveries. Therefore, EADB is recommended for ultra-short immobilizations (e.g., microchipping and collaring), especially with free-ranging kulans where individual recovery is uncertain, whereas the investigated treatment protocols are recommended for prolonged medical procedures on captive kulans.
Copyright © 2022 Bohner, Painer, Bakker, Haw, Rauch, Greunz, Egner and Goeritz.
Publication Date: 2022-08-10 PubMed ID: 36213408PubMed Central: PMC9536428DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.885317Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research investigated alternative immobilization methods for Kulans, a type of large herbivore, to avoid the use of etorphine, a common and highly toxic substance with severe side effects. The study compared etorphine-based protocols with two alpha-2 agonist-based protocols, and found that these alternatives provided effective and safer anesthesia for the animals, albeit with longer recovery times.
Study Background
- The study was motivated by the need for safer anesthesia methods for large herbivores, particularly Kulans, where current protocols are based on etorphine, a highly toxic substance with severe side effects for both the animals and humans handling it.
- The study seeks to compare the efficiency, stability, and recovery times of two alpha-2 agonist-based anesthesia protocols (Ketamine-medetomidine-midazolam-butorphanol (KMMB) and tiletamine-zolazepam-medetomidine-butorphanol (TZMB)) with the standard etorphine-based protocol (etorphine-acepromazine-detomidine-butorphanol (EADB)).
Methods and Measurements
- A total of 21 immobilizations were performed using the three different protocols. Vital parameters, including heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and body temperature were assessed at regular intervals.
- Blood gas analysis was also performed and measures of quality and efficacy, including induction, immobilization and recovery quality, were observed.
Findings
- Results showed that the alternative alpha-2 agonist-based protocols led to longer times to recumbency (animal falling down under the effect of the drug) compared to the etorphine-based protocol, but superior muscle relaxation, normoxemia and normocapnia (normal oxygen and carbon dioxide levels).
- Lower pulse rates and higher arterial blood pressure were observed in animals under the alternative protocols. Notably, severe arterial hypertension was observed in animals treated with the TZMB protocol.
- All three protocols provided smooth and rapid recoveries with the administration of antagonists to reverse the effects of the immobilizing drugs.
Conclusion
- The study concluded that the alternative protocols (KMMB and TZMB) provide efficient and safer general anesthesia in Kulans with better muscle relaxation and improved oxygenation than the conventional etorphine-based protocol.
- However, the etorphine-based protocol resulted in faster recoveries, and is hence still recommended for very short immobilizations and situations where recovery time is uncertain.
- The alternative protocols are recommended for prolonged medical procedures on captive Kulans due to their superior safety and efficacy.
Cite This Article
APA
Bohner J, Painer J, Bakker D, Haw AJ, Rauch H, Greunz EM, Egner B, Goeritz F.
(2022).
Immobilization of Captive Kulans (Equus hemionus kulan) Without Using Ultrapotent Opioids.
Front Vet Sci, 9, 885317.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.885317 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany.
- Serengeti-Park Department of Research, Hodenhagen, Germany.
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution (FIWI), University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Lammermoor Veterinary Clinic, Krugersdorp, South Africa.
- Brain Function Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution (FIWI), University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Center of Zoo and Wild Animal Health, Copenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
- Veterinary Academy of Higher Learning (VAHL), Babenhausen, Germany.
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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