Immobilization of Himalayan tahr with a xylazine-ketamine mixture and reversal with atipamezole under field conditions

J Wildl Dis. 2006 Jul;42(3):633-9. doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-42.3.633.

Abstract

Twenty-nine free-ranging Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) were darted in the Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal) using different combinations of xylazine and ketamine. Animals in Group 1 (n = 4) received a mean xylazine-ketamine dose of 2.77 +/- 0.99 mg/kg xylazine plus 3.32 +/- 0.19 mg/kg ketamine in males and 2.39 +/- 0.10 mg/kg xylazine plus 4.29 +/- 0.17 mg/kg ketamine in females. Animals in Group 2 (n = 25) received a mean xylazine-ketamine dose of 1.70 +/- 0.41 mg/kg xylazine plus 3.06 +/- 0.74 mg/kg ketamine in males and 1.82 +/- 0.29 mg/kg xylazine plus 3.29 +/- 0.52 mg/kg ketamine in females. No anesthetic-related mortality was recorded. Anesthesia was reversed by a standard dose of 11 mg/animal of atipamezole administered by intramuscular injection. Although all anesthetic dosages immobilized free-ranging tahr successfully, a quick and smooth recovery was obtained (11.1 +/- 5.6 min) only with the dosages of Group 2.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / administration & dosage*
  • Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / administration & dosage*
  • Anesthetics, Combined*
  • Anesthetics, Dissociative / administration & dosage*
  • Animals
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Heart Rate / drug effects
  • Imidazoles / administration & dosage
  • Immobilization / methods
  • Immobilization / veterinary*
  • Injections, Intramuscular / veterinary
  • Ketamine / administration & dosage
  • Male
  • Nepal
  • Respiration / drug effects
  • Ruminants / physiology*
  • Time Factors
  • Xylazine / administration & dosage

Substances

  • Adrenergic alpha-Agonists
  • Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists
  • Anesthetics, Combined
  • Anesthetics, Dissociative
  • Imidazoles
  • atipamezole
  • Xylazine
  • Ketamine