title: Immobilization of California sea lions using medetomidine plus ketamine with and without isoflurane and reversal with atipamezole.
abstract: The use of medetomidine and ketamine, alone and in combination with isoflurane, with atipamezole reversal was evaluated for immobilizing 51 California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) for a variety of medical procedures at a rehabilitation center in northern California (USA) between May 1997 and August 1998. Animals were given 140 microg/kg medetomidine with 2.5 mg/kg ketamine intramuscularly. Mean (+/-SD) time to maximal effect was 8+/-5 min. At the end of the procedure, animals were given 200 microg/kg atipamezole intramuscularly. Immobilization and recovery times were, respectively, 25+/-12 and 9+/-7 min for 35 animals maintained with medetomidine and ketamine alone and 58+/-30 and 9+/-9 min for 16 animals intubated and maintained with isoflurane. No mortalities occurred as a result of the immobilizations. Disadvantages of the medetomidine and ketamine combination included a moderate variation in time to maximal effect and plane of sedation, a large injection volume and high cost. However, this combination offers safe and reversible immobilization that can be easily administered by the intramuscular route and that produces a plane of anesthesia that is sufficient to carry out most routine diagnostic procedures.
authors.affiliation: The Marine Mammal Center, Marin Headlands, Sausalito, California 94965, USA. mhaulena@ix.netcom.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haulena
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Gulland
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Calkins
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Spraker
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000777:Anesthetics; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007103:Immobilization; D007530:Isoflurane; D007649:Ketamine; D008297:Male; D020926:Medetomidine; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D046070:Sea Lions / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000777:Anesthetics; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007093:Imidazoles; C050701:atipamezole; D007649:Ketamine; D007530:Isoflurane; D020926:Medetomidine