Reversible anesthesia in wild marine otters (Lontra felina) using ketamine and medetomidine.
Nine marine otters (Lontra felina) were anesthetized 15 times with a combination of ketamine (5.3 +/- 0.9 [range: 4.5-8.0] mg/kg) and medetomidine (53 - 9 [range: 45-80] microg/kg) i.m. by hand syringe for the placement of radiotransmitters. Times to initial effect and induction period ranged from 1.1 to 5.0 min and 1.8 to 5.4 min, respectively. Minor complications did occur, including mild hypothermia in six otters and severe hypoxemia in one otter. After 34 and 63 min, anesthesia was antagonized with atipamezole (226 +/- 29 [range: 179-265] microg/kg) and all otters recovered within 3.3-26.8 min.
Soto-Azat
Claudio
C
Faculties of Veterinary Science, Universidad Austral de Chile, P.O. Box 567, Valdivia, Chile.
Boher
Francisca
F
Flores
Gabriela
G
Mora
Eileen
E
Santibañez
Alexis
A
Medina-Vogel
Gonzalo
G
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000662:veterinary; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D020926:Medetomidine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D010041:Otters / Q000502:physiology*; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D007093:Imidazoles; C050701:atipamezole; D007649:Ketamine; D020926:Medetomidine