General anesthesia in Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) using combination of medetomidine hydrochloride and etorphine hydrochloride

Main Article Content

nithidol buranapim
Chatchote Thitaram
Taweepoke Angkawanish
Petthisak Sombutputorn
Warangkhana Langkaphin
Nikorn Thongtip
Thittaya Janyamethakul
Pinich Boontong
Wanlaya Tipkantha

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.

Article Details

How to Cite
buranapim, nithidol, Thitaram, C., Angkawanish, T., Sombutputorn, P., Langkaphin, W., Thongtip, N., Janyamethakul, T., Boontong, P., & Tipkantha, W. (2019). General anesthesia in Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) using combination of medetomidine hydrochloride and etorphine hydrochloride. Veterinary Integrative Sciences, 17(2), 101–114. Retrieved from https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/vis/article/view/151446
Section
Research Articles

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