Journal Articles
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Item Chemical immobilisation of lions: weighing up drug effectiveness versus clinical effects(Medpharm Publications on behalf of the South African Veterinary Association, 2023-06-01) Donaldson AC; Fuller A; Meyer LCR; Buss PESelection of an effective drug combination to immobilise African lions (Panthera leo) requires balancing immobilisation effectiveness with potential side effects. We compared the immobilisation effectiveness and changes to physiological variables induced by three drug combinations used for free-ranging African lions. The lions (12 animals per drug combination) were immobilised with tiletamine-zolazepam-medetomidine (TZM), ketamine-medetomidine (KM) or ketamine-butorphanol-medetomidine (KBM). Induction, immobilisation, and recovery were timed, evaluated using a scoring system, and physiological variables were monitored. The drugs used for immobilisation were antagonised with atipamezole and naltrexone. The quality of induction was rated as excellent for all drug combinations and induction times (mean ± SD) did not differ between the groups (10.54 ± 2.67 min for TZM, 10.49 ± 2.63 min for KM, and 11.11 ± 2.91 min for KBM). Immobilisation depth was similar over the immobilisation period in the TZM and KBM groups, and initially light, progressing to deeper in lions administered KM. Heart rate, respiratory rate and peripheral arterial haemoglobin saturation with oxygen were within the expected range for healthy, awake lions in all groups. All lions were severely hypertensive and hyperthermic throughout the immobilisation. Following antagonism of immobilising drugs, lions immobilised with KM and KBM recovered to walking sooner than those immobilised with TZM, at 15.29 ± 10.68 min, 10.88 ± 4.29 min and 29.73 ± 14.46 min, respectively. Only one lion in the KBM group exhibited ataxia during recovery compared to five and four lions in the TZM and KM groups, respectively. All three drug combinations provided smooth inductions and effective immobilisations but resulted in hypertension. KBM had an advantage of allowing for shorter, less ataxic recoveries.Item Ketamine-butorphanol-medetomidine for the immobilisation of free-living hyenas (Crocuta crocuta)(Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 2024-03-01) Roug A; Meyer L; Netshitavhadulu L; Leiberich M; Buss PFree-ranging spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) are immobilised for a variety of purposes, including wildlife-human conflict mitigation, research, and veterinary treatment. Combinations of tiletamine-zolazepam (Zoletil) and medetomidine are commonly used for immobilisation of hyenas, however, recovery times are long. In this descriptive study, a total of 20 adult or subadult free-ranging hyenas were immobilised near Skukuza in the Kruger National Park using ketamine, butorphanol, and medetomidine. The goal of the study was to evaluate a suitable dose and measure cardiorespiratory effects of this combination. The quality of induction and recovery were scored using an established scoring system from 1 (excellent) to (poor). Twelve of the 20 hyenas were given an induction score of 1 (excellent), five an induction score of 2 (good), and three an induction score of 3 (fair). Of the animals with induction score = 1, the mean drug dose was 1.17 mg/kg ketamine, 0.25 mg/kg butorphanol and 0.03 mg/kg medetomidine, and the mean induction time and time to handling 6:25 minutes and 9:46 minutes respectively. The mean recovery time (from reversal to standing) was 10:16 min, which is shorter than what has been reported for tiletamine-zolazepam-based combinations in hyenas. Most hyenas were bradycardic (< 40 beats per minute) and the mean PaO2 69.5 mmHg. Three hyenas, one with induction score = 2, and two with induction scores = 3 spontaneously recovered at 33, 44 and 56 minutes post approach respectively. Regardless of induction time, all hyenas reached a level of surgical anaesthesia while immobilised. Overall, ketamine-butorphanol-medetomidine (KBM) was effective in immobilising hyenas but induction times varied, and animals were bradycardic during immobilisation.Item Effects of three immobilizing drug combinations on ventilation, gas exchange and metabolism in free-living African lions (Panthera leo)(Oxford University Press and the Society for Experimental Biology, 2023-08-10) Donaldson AC; Buss PE; Fuller A; Meyer LCR; Cooke SJFree-living lions (12 per group) were immobilized with tiletamine-zolazepam-medetomidine (TZM), ketamine-medetomidine (KM), or ketamine-butorphanol-medetomidine (KBM). During immobilization, respiratory, blood gas and acid-base variables were monitored for 30 minutes. Respiratory rates were within expected ranges and remained constant throughout the immobilizations. Ventilation increased in lions over the immobilization period from 27.2 ± 9.5 to 35.1 ± 25.4 L/min (TZM), 26.1 ± 14.3 to 28.4 ± 18.4 L/min (KM) and 23.2 ± 10.8 to 26.7 ± 14.2 L/min (KBM). Tidal volume increased over the immobilization period from 1800 ± 710 to 2380 ± 1930 mL/breath (TZM), 1580 ± 470 to 1640 ± 500 mL/breath (KM) and 1600 ± 730 to 1820 ± 880 mL/breath (KBM). Carbon dioxide production was initially lower in KBM (0.4 ± 0.2 L/min) than in TZM (0.5 ± 0.2 L/min) lions but increased over time in all groups. Oxygen consumption was 0.6 ± 0.2 L/min (TZM), 0.5 ± 0.2 L/min (KM) and 0.5 ± 0.2 L/min (KBM) and remained constant throughout the immobilization period. Initially the partial pressure of arterial oxygen was lower in KBM (74.0 ± 7.8 mmHg) than in TZM (78.5 ± 4.7 mmHg) lions, but increased to within expected range in all groups over time. The partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide was higher throughout the immobilizations in KBM (34.5 ± 4.2 mmHg) than in TZM (32.6 ± 2.2 mmHg) and KM (32.6 ± 3.8 mmHg) lions. Alveolar-arterial gradients were initially elevated, but decreased over time for all groups, although in KM lions it remained elevated (26.9 ± 10.4 mmHg) above the expected normal. Overall, all three drug combinations caused minor respiratory and metabolic side-effects in the immobilized lions. However, initially hypoxaemia occurred as the drug combinations, and possibly the stress induced by the immobilization procedure, hinder alveoli oxygen gas exchange.
