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Effects of Immobilization with Medetomidine and Reversal with Atipamezole on Blood Chemistry of Semi-Domesticated Reindeer {Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) in Autumn and Late Winter

Effekten av immobilisation med medetomidin och upphävning med atipamezol på blodkemin hos halvtama renar (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) under hösten och vårvintern

Abstract

Blood chemistry was studied in 8 adult female reindeer, of which 5 were pregnant. Half of them received only medetomidine (150 µg/kg i.m.) and half of them medetomidine and atipamezole (750 µg/kg) in March. Three weeks later the drug regimens were reversed. The same procedure was carried out during the next September and October. Seasonal differences in pretreatment values could be seen in serum urea, phosphorous, and cholesterol, with the highest concentrations during the autumn; and creatinine, ASAT, ALAT, and CK values, which were higher in the non-pregnant reindeer in late winter. Their low-protein and low-energy diet during the winter explains most of the differences. Increased enzyme activities in serum indicate decreased membrane stability of certain organs in late winter, possibly due to nutritional deficiencies. Treatment effects could be seen in several parameters. The increase in blood glucose and decrease in serum FEA were most probably due to α2-adrenoceptor activation, which inhibits insulin release and lipolysis. These effects were partly or totally inhibited after treatment with the antagonist atipamezole. The earlier increase in serum CK and ASAT activities in those receiving atipamezole can be explained by increased tissue perfusion due to atipamezole itself and the fact that these animals stood up and began to move much earlier than did those which received medetomidine only. A significant decrease in serum Na+, K+, CI, Pi, cholesterol, total Ca, and total protein concentration observed during the first 10 to 40 min of the medetomidine sedation could be explained by possible haemodilution and diuresis. More effective metabolism of medetomidine in autumn could explain the shorter recovery times of reindeer receiving only medetomidine and most of the differences in treatment effects between the seasons: faster increase in protein and cholesterol concentrations after the decrease, and the antagonistic effect of atipamezole on glucose and Pi changes in autumn. Based on these results, medetomidine seems to be a good sedation agent for reindeer both in autumn and in late winter; the effects of medetomidine can be rather effectively antagonized by atipamezole.

Sammanfattning

Blodkemin undersöktes hos 8 vuxna honrenar, av vilka 5 var dräktiga. Den ena hälften av renarna fick endast medetomidin (150 µg/kg i.m.) medan den andra hälften fick både medetomidin och atipamezol (750 :µg/kg). Undersökningen gjordes i Mars.

Tre veckor senare upprepades provet men fördelningen av medicineringen var omvänd. Samma procedur upprepades också därpå följande höst i september och oktober.

Olikheter i blodvärden beroende av årstid kunde ses i följande blodvärden som var tagna före själva undersökningen. Koncentrationen av urea, fosfor och kolesterol var högre på hösten, medan kreatinin, ASAT, ALAT, och CK värden var högre på vårvintern hos icke dräktiga renar. Den protein- och energifattiga dieten under vintern antas vara den största orsaken till olikheterna i ovannämda blodvärden. Förhöjd enzymaktivitet i serum tyder på att vissa organs membran under vårvinter blivit mindre stabila, vilket möjligen är beroende av näringsbrist. Behandlingseffekten kunde ses i flera av dessa värden.

Förhöjningen av blodglukosnivåer och minskningen av fria fettsyror (FFA) var möjligen beroende av α2-adrenoreceptorernas aktivitet, vilka inhiberar utsöndringen av insulin och lipolysen.

Dessa effekter inhiberades helt eller delvis av antagonisten, atipamezol. Den snabbare förhöjningen av CK och ASAT aktivitet i serum kan dels forklaras med art atipamezol ökar vävnadsperfusion och dels att de djur som behandlats med konkurrerande preparat steg upp tidigare och rörde på sig mer än de djur som fick endast medetomidin. Den betydelsefulla minskningen av serum Na+, K+, Cl, Pi, kolesterol, total Ca och total protein koncentration under de första 10 till 40 minuterna av nedsövningen med medetomidin kan möjligen förklaras med hemodilution och diures. Medetomidinets effektivare metabolism på hösten kunde förklara den kortare återhämtningstiden hos de av renarna som endast fick medetomidin, men också de flesta av olikheterna i behandlingseffekterna melian årstiderna: snabbare ökning av protein- och kolesterolkoncentrationen efter minskningen och de antagonistiska effekterna av atipamezol på glukos och Pi värden. På basen av dessa resultat verkar det som art medetomidin har en bra sedativ effekt på renar under hösten och vårvintern; effekten av medetomidin kan ganska effektivt upphävas med hjälp av atipamezol.

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Soveri, T., Sankari, S., Salonen, J.S. et al. Effects of Immobilization with Medetomidine and Reversal with Atipamezole on Blood Chemistry of Semi-Domesticated Reindeer {Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) in Autumn and Late Winter. Acta Vet Scand 40, 335–349 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547013

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