Anesthesia of Exotic Species

Question 1

What are some things to consider for avian anesthesia?

Answer 1

• Stress response to capture and restraint
• Limited pre-anesthetic evaluation (ie blood work)
• Limited knowledge base
• Drug idiosyncrasies
• Small to extreme body sizes

Question 2

What are some anatomic differences with avian anesthesia?

Answer 2

• Birds do not have a epiglottis which makes intubation difficult
• No thyroid cartilage or vocal cords, they have a syrinx instead

Question 3

What should you do with the ET tube cuff for a intubation of a bird?

Answer 3

Do not inflate the cuff because it may cause necrosis of the nerves, also consider that their trachea is inexpandable due to complete trachea rings

Question 4

What part of the bird is involved in gas exchange, the lungs or the air sacs?

Answer 4

The lungs, the air sacs maintain unidirectional flow

Question 5

What are some difficulties with avian anesthesia?

Answer 5

• They lack superficial veins and arteries which venipuncture and catheter placement difficult
• They have a high metabolic rate so will metabolize anesthesia quickly

Question 6

What is the recommended time frame to allow for an avian patient to adjust to the hospital?

Answer 6

12-24 hours

Question 7

Where can pre-anesthetic fluid therapy be administered for a bird?

Answer 7

Through an intraosteous catheter

Question 8

Is fasting recommended for avian surgery?

Answer 8

Not usually due to a high metabolic rate, only if surgery is on the animal’s crop

Question 9

Which anesthetic option is more recommended for avian anesthesia, injectable or inhalant?

Answer 9

Inhalant via mask or chamber, injectable is difficult to administer and most are irreversibly

Question 10

How can a light patient under anesthesia be described?

Answer 10

Reflexes are present but there is a lack of voluntary movement

Question 11

How can a medium patient under anesthesia be described?

Answer 11

Palpebral reflex is present, but pedal and corneal reflux is sluggish and respiration is slow regular and deep

Question 12

How can a deep patient under anesthesia be described?

Answer 12

All reflexes are absent, respiration is slow, irregular and shallow and the patient may become apneic

Question 13

What are some recommendations for monitoring with an avian patient?

Answer 13

Use doppler for heart rate and blood pressure, and for an ECG be mindful of alligator clamps because they may tare skin

Question 14

What are some considerations for rabbit anesthesia?

Answer 14

• Limited venous access
• Small muscle mass
• High metabolic rate
• Difficult to intubate

Question 15

Why is fasting not recommended for rabbits?

Answer 15

Due to their ileus

Question 16

What injectable medications can be used for rabbit anesthesia?

Answer 16

• Xylazine with Ketamine
• Telazol
• Medetomidine with Ketamine
• Various opiods

Question 17

Which vein is recommended for IV catheter in pet rabbits?

Answer 17

Auricular vein

Question 18

Which vein is recommended for IV catheter is research rabbits?

Answer 18

Marginal ear vein

Question 19

Can inhalent anesthesia be used in rabbits?

Answer 19

Yes, but keep in mind that they are sensitive to respiratory depression, collapsed lungs and are difficult to intubate

Question 20

What are some difficulties you may face with ferrets and anesthesia?

Answer 20

• Thick skin makes cautheterization difficult

- Small airways, use 2-3 mm ET tubes

Question 21

What medications are recommended for ferrets under anesthesia?

Answer 21

• Xylazine with Ketamine
• Medetomidine
• Butorphanol or buprenorphine

Question 22

How do fish and amphibians received anesthesia?

Answer 22

Medications are put into water to be inhaled

Question 23

What is the only anesthetic medication approved for use in fish food?

Answer 23

Tricaine methanesulfonate

Question 24

What is a FADS?

Answer 24

Fish Anesthetic Delivery System which is a gas anesthetic system

Question 25

How many stages of fish anesthesia are there?

Answer 25

0-6

Question 26

How can the stages of fish anesthesia be described?

Answer 26

0 - normal
1 - light sedation
2 - deep sedation
3 - partial loss of equilibrium
4 - total loss of equilibrium
5 - loss of reflex activity
6 - medullary collapse (stage of asphyxia)

Question 27

What is the opercular?

Answer 27

The piece of skin that covers the gills

Question 28

What medication is recommended for fish analgesia?

Answer 28

Butorphanol prior to recovery to help animal return to swimming and eating sooner

Question 29

What is the Optimum Temperature Range or OTC for reptiles?

Answer 29

85 F

Question 30

What is poikiotherm animal?

Answer 30

Aka cold blooded; changes body temperature within environment

Question 31

What makes the renal portal system of a reptile, amphibian, fish and bird different from other animals?

Answer 31

Blood moves from the caudal half of the body through the kidneys before returning to the heart

Question 32

What is a contraindicated anesthetic method?

Answer 32

Hypothermia

Question 33

What is the normal respiratory rate of a reptile?

Answer 33

10-20 breaths per minute

Question 34

What are some physiological differences of reptiles?

Answer 34

They lack a diaphragm and their lungs are very thin walled, however they have a huge capacity for anaerobic metabolism which means they can hold their breath for extended periods of time

Question 35

Is fasting recommended for reptile anesthesia?

Answer 35

Only if the condition of the reptile permits

Question 36

What is the best overall group of drugs for controlled restraint of reptiles?

Answer 36

Inhalents, but the animal must be intubated to ensure the animal isn’t holding their breath

Question 37

In what order does relaxation and recovery occur in reptiles?

Answer 37

• Relaxation progresses from cranial ro caudal

- Recovery occurs caudal to cranial

Question 38

What are the 4 stages or anesthesia?

Answer 38

1 - superficial sedation
2 - moderate sedation
3 - surgical plane
4 - irreversible