Sufentanil citrate immobilization of Alaskan moose calves

J Wildl Dis. 2012 Oct;48(4):1088-91. doi: 10.7589/2012-04-112.

Abstract

Free-ranging Alaskan moose calves (Alces alces gigas) were immobilized with 0.12 mg/kg sufentanil (S; n=16), 0.12 mg/kg sufentanil plus 0.27 mg/kg xylazine (SX; n=11), or 0.007 mg/kg carfentanil plus 0.36 mg/kg xylazine (CX; n=13). Immobilants were antagonized with 1.2 mg/kg naltrexone (S) or 1.2 mg/kg naltrexone plus 2.4 mg/kg tolazoline (SX, CX). There were no differences in induction (P ≥ 0.29) or processing (P ≥ 0.44) times between groups. Moose given either S or SX had significantly shorter recovery times than moose given CX (P=0.001) and recovery times from S were shorter than from SX (P=0.02). Oxygen saturation values for all groups averaged 85 ± 8%, but were significantly higher (P=0.048) for CX (89 ± 7%) than for S (82 ± 8%). Based on these data, sufentanil at 0.1 mg/kg or sufentanil at 0.1 mg/kg plus xylazine at 0.25 mg/kg could provide effective remote immobilization for Alaskan moose calves and could be substituted for carfentanil or thiafentanil should the need arise.

MeSH terms

  • Alaska
  • Anesthesia Recovery Period
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Animals, Wild
  • Deer / physiology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Fentanyl / analogs & derivatives
  • Fentanyl / pharmacology
  • Immobilization / methods
  • Immobilization / veterinary*
  • Male
  • Naltrexone / administration & dosage
  • Narcotics / pharmacology*
  • Oxygen / blood
  • Respiration / drug effects
  • Sufentanil / pharmacology*
  • Time Factors
  • Tolazoline / administration & dosage
  • Xylazine / pharmacology

Substances

  • Narcotics
  • Xylazine
  • Naltrexone
  • Sufentanil
  • Tolazoline
  • carfentanil
  • Oxygen
  • Fentanyl