Immobilization of Himalayan tahr with a xylazine-ketamine mixture and reversal with atipamezole under field conditions.
Twenty-nine free-ranging Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) were darted in the Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal) using different combinations of xylazine and ketamine. Animals in Group 1 (n = 4) received a mean xylazine-ketamine dose of 2.77 +/- 0.99 mg/kg xylazine plus 3.32 +/- 0.19 mg/kg ketamine in males and 2.39 +/- 0.10 mg/kg xylazine plus 4.29 +/- 0.17 mg/kg ketamine in females. Animals in Group 2 (n = 25) received a mean xylazine-ketamine dose of 1.70 +/- 0.41 mg/kg xylazine plus 3.06 +/- 0.74 mg/kg ketamine in males and 1.82 +/- 0.29 mg/kg xylazine plus 3.29 +/- 0.52 mg/kg ketamine in females. No anesthetic-related mortality was recorded. Anesthesia was reversed by a standard dose of 11 mg/animal of atipamezole administered by intramuscular injection. Although all anesthetic dosages immobilized free-ranging tahr successfully, a quick and smooth recovery was obtained (11.1 +/- 5.6 min) only with the dosages of Group 2.
Dematteis
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CERIGEFAS (Research Centre on Wildlife Management), Università degli Studi di Torino, Fraz.ne Rore, 17, 12020 Sampeyre (CN), Italy. cerigefas@unito.it
Menzano
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A
Tizzani
P
P
Karmacharya
B
B
Meneguz
P G
PG
Lovari
S
S
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007103:Immobilization / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000662:veterinary; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D009390:Nepal; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D012418:Ruminants / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014991:Xylazine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D007093:Imidazoles; C050701:atipamezole; D014991:Xylazine; D007649:Ketamine