The Influence of a Combined Butorphanol and Midazolam Premedication on Anesthesia in Psittacid Species

“…Sedation with benzodiazepines, alpha-agonists, opioids, or combinations of some of these drugs has been widely used in avian clinical practice [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Additionally, it has demonstrably reduced capture- and handling-related stress in birds [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sedation of Wild Pyrenean Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus aquitanicus) Using Intramuscular Midazolam

Francisco

Jordana²,

Ferré

et al. 2022

Animals

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Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking offers key information in the study of movement ecology of threatened species. Nevertheless, the placement of GPS devices requires animal capture and handling, which may represent a challenge to the individual’s survival after release, mainly due to capture myopathy. The Pyrenean Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus aquitanicus) is a threatened galliform especially sensitive to handling, extremely elusive, and challenging to capture. Our goal was to adapt a sedation protocol for Pyrenean Capercaillies undergoing GPS tagging, in order to increase their welfare and safety during the procedure. From 2018 to 2021, 23 wild Pyrenean Capercaillies were captured and sedated for GPS tagging as part of a European conservation project of emblematic Pyrenean avian species. The birds received intramuscular (IM) sedation with midazolam (ranging from 1.9 mg/kg to 8.08 mg/kg) and were handled for 20 to 40 min. Sedation was reversed with flumazenil (0.1 mg/mL IM). The sedated capercaillies were less responsive to stimuli (i.e., closed eyes and recumbency), showing discrete to no response to handling (i.e., placement of the GPS device, physical examination, cloacal temperature measurement, or reflex tests). Such response was compared in birds with sedation doses above and below the average dose (5.17 mg/kg). Only one clinical sign showed statistically significant differences between the two groups (“open-mouth breathing” sign, p = 0.02). A mortality rate of 4.35% was registered (one individual died during handling). Sedation facilitated the handling of the birds and faster interventions in the field, without increasing mortality when compared to handling without sedation. Therefore, sedation was shown to be a useful tool to reduce stress related to capture and handling of the threatened Pyrenean Capercaillie.

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“…Additionally, the lack of experience of veterinary surgeons with exotic avian species was likely to have contributed to the high perioperative mortality risks (Brodbelt et al, 2008). To reduce the mortality rate, balanced anesthetic protocols (Ilkiw, 1999), which refers to the use of a mixture of drugs, such that the advantages of small amounts of drugs are used without having to contend with the disadvantages of large doses of any one drug (Ilkiw, 1999), are widely used in avian practice to increase the safety of anesthetic procedures (Kubiak, Roach & Eatwell, 2016; Paula et al, 2013). Butorphanol, an opioid which is a mixed agonist/antagonist that has low activity at µ-receptors and strong agonist activity at κ-receptors, makes it appropriate for avian species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Midazolam has been used in avian species for sedation. It is administered by intramuscular injection and has been demonstrated to have no significant changes in cardiopulmonary function in Canadian geese ( Branta canadensis ), guinea fowl ( Numida meleagris ), pigeons ( Columba livia ), or quail ( Coturnix japonica ) (Kubiak, Roach & Eatwell, 2016). Opioids (Butorphanol) combined with benzodiazepines (Midazolam) are commonly used as premedicants in birds before an inhalational agent such as isoflurane.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Delayed evoked potentials in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) under midazolam-butorphanol-isoflurane anesthesia

Hsiao

2019

PeerJ

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Avian animals are visually inclined, which has caused them to attract increasing attention for visual neurophysiology or electrophysiology studies, including the study of the visual evoked potential (VEP). VEP has developed into an investigative tool for understanding the physiology and the pathology of the visual pathway. Chemical restraint is a common method to minimize motion artifacts in animals when acquiring VEP data, but little is known about its influence on the signal in an avian animal. In addition, it is difficult to make comparisons between conscious state data when the animals are ultimately under anesthesia. Therefore, finding drugs and developing protocols that have an acceptable effect is valuable. We compared the local field potentials of physically and chemically restrained zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), a small avian species, to simulate a relatively challenging recording condition. Finches were sedated with midazolam-butorphanol, and anesthesia was maintained by isoflurane. Electrodes were implanted into the left nucleus rotundus, which is a visual nucleus in birds. The VEPs of the control group (N = 3) were recorded after they fully recovered and were restrained by towels. The other birds (N = 3) were recorded under anesthesia. The results show that without the visual stimuli, anesthesia generally suppressed the overall power of field potentials. However, by focusing on the spectra during VEPs, visual stimuli still triggered significant VEPs in frequencies below 30.8 Hz, which were even stronger than towel-restrained birds. The drugs also prolonged the latency of the VEP, increased the duration of the VEP when compared to towel-restrained birds. As regard to towel-restrained zebra finches, the field potentials were less synchronized and may need data preprocessing to have clear VEPs. In conclusion, the current study presents evidence of basic VEP for zebra finch under midazolam-butorphanol-isoflurane anesthesia with a protocol that is a safe and feasible anesthetic combination for chemical restraint, which is particularly useful for small animals when obtaining evoked potentials.

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The Influence of a Combined Butorphanol and Midazolam Premedication on Anesthesia in Psittacid Species

Cited by 21 publications

References 14 publications

Pain in birds: a review for veterinary nurses

Pain in birds: a review for veterinary nurses

Sedation of Wild Pyrenean Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus aquitanicus) Using Intramuscular Midazolam

Delayed evoked potentials in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) under midazolam-butorphanol-isoflurane anesthesia

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