Abstract
Objective
To evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on alfaxalone immobilization in snakes.
Study design
Nonblinded, crossover study.
Animals
A total of eight mature common garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis).
Methods
Snakes were administered each of three treatments intracoelomically: alfaxalone (30
mg kg–1; treatment A), alfaxalone (30 mg kg–1) combined with dexmedetomidine (0.05 mg kg–1; treatment AD0.05); and alfaxalone (30 mg kg–1) combined with dexmedetomidine (0.10 mg kg–1; treatment AD0.10). A minimum of 10 days elapsed between experimental trials. Times
to loss of righting reflex (LRR) and return of righting reflex (RRR) were recorded.
Heart rate (HR) was recorded every 5 minutes throughout the period of LRR and averaged
for each snake. Times to LRR and RRR, and mean HR in snakes that achieved LRR were
reported.
Results
LRR occurred in eight (100%), five (63%) and three (38%) snakes in treatments A, AD0.05
and AD0.10, respectively. For all treatments, time to LRR ranged 3–20 minutes. Median
(range) times to RRR were 39 (30–46), 89 (62–128) and 77 (30–185) minutes for treatments
A, AD0.05 and AD0.10, respectively. In animals where righting reflex was lost, mean
HR was lower in all dexmedetomidine treatments compared with treatment A.
Conclusions and clinical relevance
In this pilot study, alfaxalone resulted in reliable immobilization, whereas dexmedetomidine
and alfaxalone combinations resulted in highly variable durations of immobilization
with low HR in immobilized animals. For snakes that achieved LRR, the addition of
dexmedetomidine (0.05 mg kg–1) to alfaxalone appeared to extend the period of immobilization compared with alfaxalone
alone.
Keywords
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References
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 12, 2020
Accepted:
August 4,
2020
Received:
February 27,
2020
Identification
Copyright
Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia.
