Evaluation of medetomidine-ketamine and medetomidine-ketamine-butorphanol for the field anesthesia of free-ranging dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Australia

W.S.J. Boardman; M.R. Lethbridge; J.O. Hampton; I. Smith; A.P. Woolnough; M-M McEwen; G.W.J. Miller; C.G.B. Caraguel

doi:10.7589/2014-03-059

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Evaluation of medetomidine-ketamine and medetomidine-ketamine-butorphanol for the field anesthesia of free-ranging dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Australia

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Evaluation of medetomidine-ketamine and medetomidine-ketamine-butorphanol for the field anesthesia of free-ranging dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Australia

W.S.J. Boardman, M.R. Lethbridge, J.O. Hampton, I. Smith, A.P. Woolnough, M-M McEwen, G.W.J. Miller and C.G.B. Caraguel

Journal of Wildlife Diseases, Vol.50(4), pp.873-882

2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7589/2014-03-059

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Abstract

We report the clinical course and physiologic and anesthetic data for a case series of 76 free-ranging dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) chemically restrained, by remote injection from a helicopter, in the rangelands of Western Australia and South Australia, 2008–11, to attach satellite-tracking collars. Fifty-five camels were successfully anesthetized using medetomidine-ketamine (MK, n = 27) and medetomidine-ketamine-butorphanol (MKB, n = 28); the induction of anesthesia in 21 animals was considered unsuccessful. To produce reliable anesthesia for MK, medetomidine was administered at 0.22 mg/kg (±SD = 0.05) and ketamine at 2.54 mg/kg (±0.56), and for MKB, medetomidine was administered at 0.12 mg/kg (±0.05), ketamine at 2.3 mg/kg (±0.39), and butorphanol at 0.05 mg/kg (±0.02). Median time-to-recumbency for MKB (8.5 min) was 2.5 min shorter than for MK (11 min) (P = 0.13). For MK, the reversal atipamezole was administered at 0.24 mg/kg (±0.10), and for MKB, atipamezole was administered at 0.23 mg/kg (±0.13) and naltrexone at 0.17 mg/kg (±0.16). Median time-to-recovery was 1 min shorter for MK (5 min) than MKB (6 min; P = 0.02). Physiologic parameters during recumbency were not clinically different between the two regimes. Both regimes were suitable to safely anesthetize free-ranging camels; however, further investigation is required to find the safest, most consistent, and logistically practical combination.

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Title: Evaluation of medetomidine-ketamine and medetomidine-ketamine-butorphanol for the field anesthesia of free-ranging dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Australia
Authors/Creators: W.S.J. Boardman (Author/Creator) - The University of Adelaide
M.R. Lethbridge (Author/Creator) - Flinders University
J.O. Hampton (Author/Creator) - Agriculture and Food
I. Smith (Author/Creator)
A.P. Woolnough (Author/Creator) - Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
M-M McEwen (Author/Creator) - The University of Adelaide
G.W.J. Miller (Author/Creator) - The University of Adelaide
C.G.B. Caraguel (Author/Creator) - The University of Adelaide
Publication Details: Journal of Wildlife Diseases, Vol.50(4), pp.873-882
Publisher: Wildlife Disease Association
Identifiers: 991005540936707891
Copyright: © Wildlife Disease Association 2014.
Murdoch Affiliation: Murdoch University
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.35 Zoology & Animal Ecology; 3.35.274 Wildlife Ecology
Web Of Science research areas: Veterinary Sciences
ESI research areas: Plant & Animal Science