General anesthesia in Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) using combination of medetomidine hydrochloride and etorphine hydrochloride
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Abstract
General anesthesia was performed in Asian elephant by using the combination 5.5-6.0 mg medetomidine hydrochloride (average = 2.29 ± 0.064 mg/kg, range 2.22–2.34) and 4.0-5.0 mg etorphine hydrochloride (average = 1.84 ± 0.088 mg/kg, range 1.7–1.91) via intramuscularadministration. Onset time of light sedation effect presented in 2-8 minutes (average = 4.6 ± 2.7) after drug administration; the movement of the ears and tail reduced after 2-8 minutes (average = 5.2 ± 2.8), penis or vulva relaxation occurred after 5-20 minutes (average = 10 ± 6.9), eyelids were closed after 3-15 minutes (average = 10.4 ± 5.5), relaxation of the trunk after 6-27 minutes (average = 11.4 ± 8.8), ataxia after 6-22 minutes (average = 12.5 ± 6.8), and animal presented lateral recumbency posture after 7-30 minutes (average = 18.4 ± 8.85, n = 4) of drug administration. A combination of atipamezole hydrochloride 28 – 30 mg (average = 11.64 ± 0.39 mg/kg, range 11.11 – 11.91) and Naltrexone 250 – 330 mg (average = 0.11 ± 0.018 mg/kg, range 0.09 – 0.14) was given as a reversal agent, which was five times the amount of medetomidine hydrochloride and fifty times the amount of etorphine hydrochloride respectively. Recovery effect started fromopeneyelids 0.5-4 minutes (average = 1.5 ± 1.41), trunk movement 1-4 minutes (average = 1.6 ± 1.34), head lifting 2-7 minutes (average = 3.6 ± 2.07), adjusted to standing position 3-25 minutes (average = 8.2 ± 9.47), and completed full recovery 10-142 minutes (average = 42.4 ± 56.50) after administration.
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