Anesthesia induced by administration of xylazine hydrochloride alone or in combination with ketamine hydrochloride and reversal by administration of yohimbine hydrochloride in captive Axis deer (Axis axis).
OBJECTIVE
To determine the anesthetic dose and cardiopulmonary effects of xylazine hydrochloride when used alone or in combination with ketamine hydrochloride and evaluate the efficacy of yohimbine hydrochloride to reverse anesthetic effects in captive Axis deer.


METHODS
35 adult (10 males and 25 females) Axis deer (Axis axis).


METHODS
All deer were anesthetized by IM administration of xylazine (3.5 mg/kg; experiment 1), a combination of ketamine and xylazine (1.25 and 1.5 mg/kg, respectively; experiment 2), or another combination of ketamine and xylazine (2.5 and 0.5 mg/kg, respectively; experiment 3). In addition, female deer were also anesthetized by IM administration of a third combination of ketamine and xylazine (1.5 and 1 mg/kg, respectively; experiment 4). Ten to 40 minutes after induction, anesthesia was reversed by IV administration of yohimbine (5, 8, or 10 mg).


RESULTS
In male deer, experiment 3 yielded the most rapid induction of anesthesia. In females, experiment 4 yielded the best induction of anesthesia without adverse effects. All doses of yohimbine reversed anesthesia. Duration of anesthesia before administration of yohimbine had no effect on recovery time.


CONCLUSIONS
A combination of ketamine and xylazine can be used to induce anesthesia in Axis deer. Furthermore, anesthetic effects can be reversed by administration of yohimbine.
Sontakke
Sadanand D
SD
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Rd, Hyderabad 500 007, India.
Reddy
Anuradha P
AP
Umapathy
Govindaswamy
G
Shivaji
Sisinthy
S
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D003670:Deer / Q000502:physiology*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014991:Xylazine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015016:Yohimbine / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D014991:Xylazine; D015016:Yohimbine; D007649:Ketamine