title: Neuroleptanalgesia in wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus maximus).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the suitability of etorphine with acepromazine for producing prolonged neuroleptanalgesia in wild Asian elephants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten adult wild elephants (four males, six females), free-roaming in the jungles of the north-western province of Sri Lanka.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten wild elephants were tranquilized for attachment of radio transmitter collars from September to November 1997, using Large-Animal Immobilon (C-Vet Veterinary Products, Leyland, UK), which is a combination of etorphine (2.45 mg mL(-1)) and acepromazine (10 mg mL(-1)). This was injected using projectile syringes fired from a Cap-Chur gun (Palmer Chemical Co. Inc., Atlanta, USA). A volume of 3.3 (2.5-4.5) mL Immobilon (6.12-11.02 mg of etorphine and 25-45 mg acepromazine) was injected intramuscularly after body mass estimation of individual elephants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The body condition of all darted elephants was good, and the mean (minimum-maximum) shoulder height was 225 (180-310) cm. The average approximate distance to elephants at firing was 26 (15-50) m. The average time to recumbency after injection was 18 (15-45) minutes. Nine out of 10 elephants remained in lateral recumbency (and did not require additional dosing) for a period of 42 (28-61) minutes. The respiratory and heart rates during anaesthesia were 7 (4-10) breaths and 52 (40-60) beats minute(-1), respectively. An equal volume (8.15-14.67 mg) of diprenorphine hydrochloride (Revivon, 3.26 mg mL(-1) diprenorphine; C-Veterinary Products, Leyland, UK) was given intravenously when the procedure was completed. Recovery (return to standing position) occurred in 6 (2-12) minutes after diprenorphine injection. Immediately afterwards, all elephants slowly retreated into the jungle without complications. Continuous radio tracking of the animals involved in this study indicated no post-operative mortality for several months after restraint.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Etorphine-acepromazine combinations can be used safely in healthy wild Asian elephants for periods of restraint lasting up to 1 hour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. adangolla@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ashoka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dangolla
authors.forename: Indira
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Vijitha Y
authors.initials: VY
authors.lastname: Kuruwita
mesh_terms: D000075:Acepromazine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000502:physiology; D004606:Elephants / Q000502:physiology*; D005048:Etorphine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D009458:Neuroleptanalgesia / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D005048:Etorphine; D000075:Acepromazine