2021 journal article
SEDATIVE AND CARDIORESPIRATORY EFFECTS OF INTRAMUSCULAR ALFAXALONE AND BUTORPHANOL AT TWO DOSAGES IN FERRETS (MUSTELA PUTORIUS FURO)
JOURNAL OF ZOO AND WILDLIFE MEDICINE, 51(4), 841–847.
MeSH headings : Analgesics, Opioid / administration & dosage; Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacology; Animals; Butorphanol / administration & dosage; Butorphanol / pharmacology; Conscious Sedation / veterinary; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Ferrets; Male; Neurosteroids / administration & dosage; Neurosteroids / pharmacology; Pregnanediones / administration & dosage; Pregnanediones / pharmacology
TL;DR:
Intramuscular alfaxalone 5 mg/kg with butorphanol 0.2mg/kg provided clinically useful sedation in ferrets with mild transient cardiorespiratory derangements, and among monitored ferrets, transient mild hypotension and hypoxemia were observed.
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UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
3. Good Health and Well-being
(Web of Science)
Source: Web Of Science
Added: February 8, 2021
Abstract: Veterinary care of ferrets often requires chemical restraint. This study hypothesized that IM alfaxalone and butorphanol would result in clinically useful sedation without clinically relevant cardiorespiratory effects. Twelve healthy 15-mo-old ferrets of equal sexes weighing 0.75 to 1.66 kg were enrolled. Using a prospective, blinded design, ferrets randomly received either IM alfaxalone 2.5 mg/kg and butorphanol 0.2 mg/kg (low dose [LD]) or IM alfaxalone 5 mg/kg and butorphanol 0.2 mg/kg (high dose [HD]) (n = 6/group). Sedation times and induction and recovery scores were recorded by a blinded observer. Anesthetic monitor placement was attempted in all recumbent ferrets, and physiologic parameters and reflexes were recorded every 5 min until return of spontaneous movement. Data were assessed for normality using a Shapiro-Wilk normality test and analyzed by two-sample t test or Mann-Whitney U test; one ferret in HD was excluded. Ferrets in LD and HD exhibited moderate and marked sedation, with one of six and four of five ferrets tolerating monitor placement, respectively. Mean ± SD time to first effects, recumbency, and recovery in LD and HD was 2.30 ± 1.13 and 2.054 ± 1.12 (P = 0.7240), 2.87 ± 1.25 and 2.72 ± 1.41 (P = 0.8529), and 65.43 ± 32.43 and 52.30 ± 13.19 (P = 0.4212), respectively. Median (range) duration of recumbency in LD and HD was 31.12 (25.58–115.72) and 35.47 (28.27–44.42) min (P = 0.3290), respectively. Among monitored ferrets, transient mild hypotension and hypoxemia were observed. Intramuscular alfaxalone 5 mg/kg with butorphanol 0.2 mg/kg provided clinically useful sedation in ferrets with mild transient cardiorespiratory derangements.