title: Evaluation of medetomidine/ketamine for short-term immobilization of variable flying foxes (Pteropus hypomelanus).
abstract: Four medetomidine/ketamine (M/K) doses (30 microg/kg/3 mg/kg; 40/4; 50/5; 60/6), administered by intramuscular injection, were evaluated for short-term immobilization of adult male variable flying foxes (Pteropus hypomelanus). The highest dose (60 microg/kg/6 mg/kg) produced a significantly faster induction (31 +/- 46 sec) than the lowest dose (30/3) (125 +/- 62 sec). The highest dose levels (50/5, 60/6) produced significantly longer immobilization times (52.5 +/- 25.7 min and 60.6 +/- 20.8 min, respectively) than did the lower doses (30/3, 40/4) (18.8 +/- 8.7 min and 31.0 +/- 14.3 min, respectively). The dose at which 50% of the bats were immobilized for > or = 30 min (ED(50)) was approximately 40 microg/kg/4 mg/kg. This dose produced a mean immobilization time of 31 +/- 14 min, bradypnea and bradycardia. In conclusion, a M/K dose of 50 microg/kg/5 mg/kg is recommended for greater than 30 min of relaxed immobilization in free-living variable flying foxes and is sufficient for safe collection of samples.
authors.affiliation: Box 100126 HSC, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610-0126, USA. HeardD@mail.vetmed.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Darryl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heard
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Towles
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leblanc
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D020926:Medetomidine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007649:Ketamine; D020926:Medetomidine