Anaesthesia of a Sumatran tiger on eight occasions with ketamine, medetomidine and isoflurane

Authors: Forsyth SF, Walsh VP, Machon RG
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 47, Issue 3, pp 105-108, Jun 1999
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Wildlife
Subject Terms: Anaesthesia/analgesia/sedation, Animal remedies/veterinary medicines, Pharmacology
Article class: Clinical Communication

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Abstract: CASE: An 18-month-old male Sumatran tiger was referred for endoscopy and dilatation of an oesophageal stricture. Anaesthesia and bouginage was undertaken on eight occasions 2-3 weeks apart to dilate the oesophageal stricture.
CLINICAL FINDINGS: On the first occasion, sedation was induced with a combination of medetomidine (30 µg/kg) and ketamine (2.35 mg/kg) given intramuscularly. Cardiopulmonary depression (characterised by bradycardia, ventricular arrhythmias, hypoventilation and cyanosis) was severe and in subsequent anaesthesias the medetomidine dose was decreased to about 18 µg/kg and the ketamine dose increased to about 3 µg/kg given intramuscularly. Immobilisation was adequate and the severity of the cardiopulmonary depression was reduced at the revised drug dosages. Atipamezole was effective in reversing both the cardiopulmonary and central nervous system depression.
CONCLUSION: The dosage of medetomidine and ketamine recommended in the literature for immobilising tigers produced severe cardiopulmonary depression in this animal. A reduced dosage of medetomidine and higher dosage of ketamine provided adequate restraint with decreased cardiopulmonary depression.
KEY WORDS: Tiger, medetomidine, ketamine, atipamezole, anaesthesia, sedation.

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