title: Medetomidine- and medetomidine-ketamine-induced immobilization in blue foxes (Alopex lagopus) and its reversal by atipamezole.
abstract: The sedative and immobilizing effects of the alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist medetomidine alone or combined with the dissociative anesthetic ketamine, were studied in blue foxes. Medetomidine at doses of 25 and 50 micrograms/kg induced moderate to deep sedation, but only with the highest medetomidine dose tested, 100 micrograms/kg, was the immobilization complete. Medetomidine 50 micrograms/kg combined with ketamine 2.5 mg/kg rapidly induced complete immobilization, characterized by good myorelaxation, and no clinically significant alterations in serially determined hematologic and serum chemistry parameters. The alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist atipamezole effectively reversed the medetomidine- or medetomidine-ketamine-induced immobilizations. A transient increase in heart rates was noted after each atipamezole injection.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Jalanka
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005589:Foxes / Q000502:physiology*; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007103:Immobilization; D007649:Ketamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D020926:Medetomidine
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007093:Imidazoles; C050701:atipamezole; D007649:Ketamine; D020926:Medetomidine