Ketamine-medetomidine or isoflurane immobilization of black-footed ferrets

摘要: Field immobilization of black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) is required for examination, identification, and attachment radiocollars, but must completely recover from anesthesia prior to release. We evaluated 2 anesthetic regimes: (1) a combination ketamine (KET) medetomidine (MED) with antagonism by atipamezole (ATI), (2) isoflurane (ISO) gas delivered portable system. used hybrid surrogates in dose titration trials both MED-KET ISO developed an intramuscular 0.075 mg/kg MED 3.0 KET, or maintenance concentration ≥3%. The initial induced 11 14 7.5 ± 1.6 min (x SE); boosters 1.5 KET were induce the other 3 12.3 1.3 min. Recovery time after administration ATI was 6.9 0.6 Isoflurane 1.1 0.1 recovery occurred 16.3 1.4 cessation ISO. Compared MED-KET, anesthetized had faster induction times, slower arousal higher oxygen saturation (SpO ), heart rate (HR), body temperature (BT). confirmed that can be effectively safely immobilized Ferrets appeared more physiologically normal under anesthesia, although there no evidence adverse effects use MED-KET. With either regime, biologists are cautioned monitor throughout hypothermia respiratory depression.