Anesthesia of exotic patients Flashcards
appendicitis in rabbits
very critical to surgically remove the appendix asap, no time for stabilizing beforehand.
after onset of clinical signs of appendicitis rabbits tend to have 3-6 hours before death.
Overall anesthetic mortality reported in healthy rabbits ranges from
1.39% to 4.8%.
which alfa2 agonist should NOT be used in rabbits and rodents?
xylazine
causes bradycardia etc.
(but you can use it for euths)
What type of guinea pig is most susceptible to anesthetic risks?
inbred guinea pigs and skinny pigs have higher chances of dying in anesthesia due to their genetic mutations
rabbit intubation
no cuffed tubes!
food removed 10-15 min prior to intubation. clear cheeks of food with q-tips to avoid aspiration.
human video-otoscope cheaper than endoscope, good for visualizing glottis for intubation. Though some intubate blind.
intubate most if not all rabbits except maybe dental trimming patients.
pulmonary edema in exotic mammal patients can occur due to?
stress ie. from longer travel, excess catecholamines can induce pulmonary edema
Ideally a blood sample should be taken from exotics before anesthesia. What would you investigate at minimum? (3)
Hct, TP, GLU minimum
(if owner really strapped then hct + GLU, if even more dire then at least GLU)
the blood drop can be taken from the catheter after placing iv.
rabbit appropriate surgical RR
at least RR 25/min
higher than RR 50/min indicates not deep enough plane of anesthesia
what species may hypersalivate due to iso
guinea pigs
how to fix a small mask to the nose of a rodent?
remember most rodents are obligate nasal breathers so covering the nostrils is sufficient.
loop size 0-suture material through the mask from the O2-inlet hole and place the loop behind the animal’s incisors, pull taut.
injectable anesthetics that are commonly used in exotics
opioids and/or midazolam
ketamine, prop. etc.
Most exotics have complete tracheal rings. This means that they have a increased risk of
- Danger of laryngeal paralysis
- The airways can be damaged from overfilling the cuff
Thus, do not used cuffed tubes in tinies.
In the smallest, used iv catheters or even urinary catheters.
Which reflex may rabbits keep even in deep anesthesia?
Rabbit can have palpebral reflex even in deep anesthesia
Reflexes to monitor in small exotics? (2)
- Withdrawal reflex
- Reflexes of the eye (palpebral) and correcting the position
Post surgery what drugs should be given?
reversal agents!
but note that atipamezole can decrease blood pressure so monitor and provide fluids.
