Skip to main content
Download PDF
  • Article
  • Published:

Medetomidine- and Medetomidine-Ketamine-induced Immobilization in Blue Foxes (Alopex lagopus) and its Reversal by Atipamezole

Medetomidin- och medetomidin-ketamin inducerad immobilisation hos blåräv (Alopex lagopus) samt dess upphävande med atipamezol.

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 31, pages 63–71 (1990)Cite this article

Abstract

The sedative and immobilizing effects of the alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist medetomidine alone or combined with the dissociative anesthetic ketamine, were studied in blue foxes. Medetomidine at doses of 25 and 50 μg/kg induced moderate to deep sedation, but only with the highest medetomidine dose tested, 100 μg/kg, was the immobilization complete. Medetomidine 50 μg/kg combined with ketamine 2.5 mg/kg rapidly induced complete immobilization, characterized by good myorelaxation, and no clinically significant alterations in serially determined hematologic and serum chemistry parameters.

The alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist atipamezole effectively reversed the medetomidine- or medetomidine-ketamine-induced immobilizations. A transient increase in heart rates was noted after each atipamezole injection.

Sammendrag

Medetomidin aliena eller i kombination med ketamin användes för immobilisering av blåräv. Med en dos på 20 och 50 μg/kg medetomidin, uppnåddes sedation. En fuliständig immobilisation och god mu-skelrelaxering uppnåddes med en dos på 100 μg/kg medetomidin och med 50 μg/kg medetomidin i kombination med 2.5 mg/kg ketamin. Atipamezol upphävde effektivt sedationen framkallad av medetomidin och medetomidin-ketamin.

References

  • Hsu WH, Zheng-Xing Lu, Hembrough FB: Effect of xylazine on heart rate and arterial blood pressure in conscious dogs, as influenced by atropine, 4-aminopyridine, doxapram, and yohimbine. J. Am. vet. med. Assoc. 1985, 186, 153–156.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jalanka H: Clinical-pharmacological properties of a new sedative - medetomidine - and its antagonist, MPV-1248. In Proc. 1st Int. Conf. zool. and Avian Med. Hawaii 1987. Omnipress, Madison, Wisc. p. 530-534.

  • Jalanka H: Evaluation of medetomidine- and ketamine-induced immobilization in markhors (Capra falconeri megaceros) and its reversal by ati-pamezole. J. Zoo. Anim. Med. 1988, 19, (3): 95–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jalanka H: Medetomidine- and ketamine-induced immobilization in snow leopards (Panthera uncia): doses, evaluation, and reversal by atipamezole. J. Zoo. and Wildl. Med. 1989, 20, 154–162.

    Google Scholar 

  • JalankaH, SkutnabbK, Damstén Y: Preliminary results on the use of medetomidine-ketamine combinations in the dog. Acta vet. scand. 1989, Supplement 85, p. 125–128.

  • Järvensivu P, Kettunen R, Leskinen M, Pesola M, Rämö P, Timisjärvi J, Hirvonen L: The immediate circulatory effects of intravenously administered MPV-785 (medetomidine) in the dog. J. cardiovasc. Pharmacol. 1990, in press.

  • Kreeger TJ, Faggella AM, Seal US, Mech LD, Callahan M, Hall B: Cardiovascular and behavioral responses of gray wolves to ketamine-xylazine immobilization and antagonism by yohimbine. J. Wildl. Dis. 1987, 23, 463–470.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kreeger TJ, Seal US: Failure of yohimbine hydrochloride to antagonize ketamine hydrochloride immobilization in gray wolves. J. Wildl. Dis. 1986, 22, 600–603.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McWade DH: An evaluation of ketamine and xylazine in combination as agents for the remote chemical immobilization of feral and stray dogs. In: Nielsen L, Haigh JC, Fowler ME (eds.): Chemical Immobilization of North American Wildlife. Wisconsin Humane Society, Inc. 1982. p. 175–187.

  • Nilsfors L, Kvart C: Preliminary report on the cardiorespiratory effects of the antagonist to deto-midine, MPV-1248. Acta vet. scand. 1986, Supplement 82, p. 121–129.

  • Philo LM: Evaluation of xylazine for chemical restraint of captive arctic wolves. J. Am. vet. med. Assoc. 1978, 173, 1163–1166.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Röken BO: Medetomidine in zoo animal anaesthesia. In Proc. 1st Int. Conf. Zool. and Avian Med. Hawaii 1987. Omnipress, Madison. Wisc. p. 535–538.

  • Savola J-M, Ruskoaho H, Puurunen J, Salonen JS, Kärki NT: Evidence for medetomidine as a selective and potent agonist at alpha2-adrenoceptors. J. auton. Pharmacol. 1986, 5, 275–284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vainio O, Palmu L: Cardiovascular and respiratory effects of medetomidine in dogs and influence of anticholinergics. Acta vet. scand. 1989, 30, 401–407.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vainio O, Palmu L, Virtanen R, Wecksell J: Medetomidine, a new sedative and analgesic drug for dogs and cats. J. Assoc. vet. Anaesth. (U.K.) 1987, 14, 53–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Virtanen R, MacDonald E: Reversal of the sedative/analgesic and other effects of detomidine and medetomidine by MPV-1248, a novel alpha2-an-tagonist. Pharmacol. & Toxicol. 1987, 60, (Supplement III), 53.

  • Virtanen R, Savola J-M, Saano V: Highly selective and specific antagonism of central and peripheral alpha2-adrenoceptors by atipamezole. Arch, int. Pharmacodyn. 1989, 297, 190–204.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wallach JD, Boever WJ: Diseases of Exotic Animals. W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia 1983, p. 405–463.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland

    Harry H. Jalanka

Authors
  1. Harry H. Jalanka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jalanka, H.H. Medetomidine- and Medetomidine-Ketamine-induced Immobilization in Blue Foxes (Alopex lagopus) and its Reversal by Atipamezole. Acta Vet Scand 31, 63–71 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547578

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547578

Keyword

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147