Chemical restraint of Southern Elephant Seals Mirounga leonina: Use of medetomidine, ketamine and atipamezole and comparison with other cyclohexamine-based combinations

• Published in: British Veterinary Journal
• Main Authors: Woods, R, McLean, SR, Nicol, SC, Burton, HR
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 1996
• Subjects: Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences; Veterinary Sciences; Veterinary Pharmacology; Elephant Seals; Mirounga leonina; Southern Elephant Seals
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0007-1935(96)80075-3; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8680843; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/7939

A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the -2 agonist medetoinidine for sedation of pre-moulting, mature female southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina). Two animals were sedated with a single intramuscular dose of medetomidine (0.013 and 0.027 mg kg−1). A further two groups of five animals received medetomidine (0.017 mg kg−1) combined with ketamine (1.90 mg kg−1) and, 20 min later, either saline or the -2 antagonist atipamezole (0.04 mg kg−1) intravenously. Medetomidine alone did not give sufficient restraint to permit intravenous access. The response appeared to be similar to previous findings with ketamine and xylazine. Administration of atipamezole had little effect upon the level and time-course of restraint. Ketamine and medetomidine seem to offer few advantages over ketamine and xylazine or other cyclohexamine-drug combinations for routine chemical restraint of southern elephant seals.