Comparative immobilization of wild felids in Thailand.
We immobilized individuals of four free-ranging felid species, leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), Asiatic golden cat (Catopuma temminckii), and marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) with ketamine hydrochloride and xylazine hydrochloride (KH-XH) and with tiletamine hydrochloride and zolazepam hydrochloride (TH-ZH) between March 1998 and July 2002. Mean (+/-SD) dose of KH and XH was 26.51+/-5.71 mg/kg and 1.89+/-0.43 mg/kg, respectively (n=25), and mean dose of TH-ZH was 11.61+/-3.39 mg/kg (n=28). Dose was significantly correlated with induction time (P<0.001) and duration of anesthesia (P<0.05), but not with recovery time. There were significant differences between the drug combinations in time to induction (P<0.03) and time to anesthesia (P<0.01); recovery times were not significantly different. We conclude that immobilization of these felids with TH-ZH and KH-XH is effective and safe, but TH-ZH is preferred because of the smaller volume of drug necessary for sedation, faster time to induction, and absence of prolonged muscle rigidity during anesthesia.
Grassman
Lon I
LI
Feline Research Program, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 218, 700 University Blvd., Kingsville, Texas 78363, USA. lon.grassman@tamuk.edu
Austin
Sean C
SC
Tewes
Michael E
ME
Silvy
Nova J
NJ
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D045989:Felidae / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007103:Immobilization / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D008297:Male; D013785:Thailand; D013992:Tiletamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors; D014991:Xylazine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D004338:Drug Combinations; D014991:Xylazine; D013992:Tiletamine; D007649:Ketamine