Anesthesia of Exotic Species Flashcards
What are some things to consider for avian anesthesia?
- Stress response to capture and restraint
- Limited pre-anesthetic evaluation (ie blood work)
- Limited knowledge base
- Drug idiosyncrasies
- Small to extreme body sizes
What are some anatomic differences with avian anesthesia?
- Birds do not have a epiglottis which makes intubation difficult
- No thyroid cartilage or vocal cords, they have a syrinx instead
What should you do with the ET tube cuff for a intubation of a bird?
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
What part of the bird is involved in gas exchange, the lungs or the air sacs?
The lungs, the air sacs maintain unidirectional flow
What are some difficulties with avian anesthesia?
- They lack superficial veins and arteries which venipuncture and catheter placement difficult
- They have a high metabolic rate so will metabolize anesthesia quickly
What is the recommended time frame to allow for an avian patient to adjust to the hospital?
12-24 hours
Where can pre-anesthetic fluid therapy be administered for a bird?
Through an intraosteous catheter
Is fasting recommended for avian surgery?
Not usually due to a high metabolic rate, only if surgery is on the animal’s crop
Which anesthetic option is more recommended for avian anesthesia, injectable or inhalant?
Inhalant via mask or chamber, injectable is difficult to administer and most are irreversibly
How can a light patient under anesthesia be described?
Reflexes are present but there is a lack of voluntary movement
How can a medium patient under anesthesia be described?
Palpebral reflex is present, but pedal and corneal reflux is sluggish and respiration is slow regular and deep
How can a deep patient under anesthesia be described?
All reflexes are absent, respiration is slow, irregular and shallow and the patient may become apneic
What are some recommendations for monitoring with an avian patient?
Use doppler for heart rate and blood pressure, and for an ECG be mindful of alligator clamps because they may tare skin
What are some considerations for rabbit anesthesia?
- Limited venous access
- Small muscle mass
- High metabolic rate
- Difficult to intubate
Why is fasting not recommended for rabbits?
Due to their ileus
What injectable medications can be used for rabbit anesthesia?
- Xylazine with Ketamine
- Telazol
- Medetomidine with Ketamine
- Various opiods
Which vein is recommended for IV catheter in pet rabbits?
Auricular vein
Which vein is recommended for IV catheter is research rabbits?
Marginal ear vein
Can inhalent anesthesia be used in rabbits?
Yes, but keep in mind that they are sensitive to respiratory depression, collapsed lungs and are difficult to intubate
What are some difficulties you may face with ferrets and anesthesia?
- Thick skin makes cautheterization difficult
- Small airways, use 2-3 mm ET tubes
What medications are recommended for ferrets under anesthesia?
- Xylazine with Ketamine
- Medetomidine
- Butorphanol or buprenorphine
How do fish and amphibians received anesthesia?
Medications are put into water to be inhaled
What is the only anesthetic medication approved for use in fish food?
Tricaine methanesulfonate
What is a FADS?
Fish Anesthetic Delivery System which is a gas anesthetic system
How many stages of fish anesthesia are there?
0-6
How can the stages of fish anesthesia be described?
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)
What is the opercular?
The piece of skin that covers the gills
What medication is recommended for fish analgesia?
Butorphanol prior to recovery to help animal return to swimming and eating sooner
What is the Optimum Temperature Range or OTC for reptiles?
85 F
What is poikiotherm animal?
Aka cold blooded; changes body temperature within environment
What makes the renal portal system of a reptile, amphibian, fish and bird different from other animals?
Blood moves from the caudal half of the body through the kidneys before returning to the heart
What is a contraindicated anesthetic method?
Hypothermia
What is the normal respiratory rate of a reptile?
10-20 breaths per minute
What are some physiological differences of reptiles?
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
Is fasting recommended for reptile anesthesia?
Only if the condition of the reptile permits
What is the best overall group of drugs for controlled restraint of reptiles?
Inhalents, but the animal must be intubated to ensure the animal isn’t holding their breath
In what order does relaxation and recovery occur in reptiles?
- Relaxation progresses from cranial ro caudal
- Recovery occurs caudal to cranial
What are the 4 stages or anesthesia?
1 - superficial sedation
2 - moderate sedation
3 - surgical plane
4 - irreversible
