Association of midazolam with ketamine in giant Amazon river turtles Podocnemis expansa breed in captivity

Abstract

PURPOSE: Evaluate the effects of two anesthetic associations in giant Amazon river turtles (P. expansa). METHODS: Twenty P. expansa, healthy, of both sexes, with weights between 1.0 and 1.5 kg of a commercial breeding facility located in the valley of the Araguaia River, Goiás, Brazil, were divided into two groups ( G1 n = 10 and G2 n = 10). Each group received a protocol being: P1 = midazolam (2 mg/kg IM) and ketamine (20 mg/kg IM) and P2 = midazolam (2 mg/kg IM) and ketamine (60 mg/kg IM), applied on G1 and G2, respectively. The drugs were applied in the left forelimb. The clinical parameters evaluated were: locomotion, muscle relaxation, response to pain stimuli in the right thoracic and pelvic members and heart rate. These assessments were made at time 0 (immediately after injection) and times of 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 minutes after the injections. RESULTS: Group 2 showed a higher heart rate than G1 and more rapid and prolonged immobilization. CONCLUSION: The sedation scores obtained by these protocols (P1 and P2) were satisfactory, with possible pharmacological contention for collecting biological samples and physical examination in P. expansa.

Evaluation of diazepam-ketamine combination for immobilization of African land tortoise (<i>Testudo graeca</i>)

“…Appropriate combination and use of chemical agents for immobilization is a requirement for safe restraint and capture of any wild animal species in a free range or in captive state (Nielsen, 1999). Ketamine has been used successfully in all reptilian orders, due to its high safety margin when compared to other anaesthetics agents, as well as the possible diverse routes of administration in both wild and domestic animals species (Dupras et al, 2001;Alves-Junior et al, 2012;Adejumobi & Olukole, 2016;Ogunsola & Adetunji, 2018). Zoo and wildlife veterinarians, as well as zoo and wildlife workers, are exposed to lots of dangers when wild animals are to be restrained.…”