Tiletamine/zolazepam immobilization of adult post-moult southern elephant seal males

dc.contributor.authorBornemann, Horst
dc.contributor.authorDe Bruyn, P.J. Nico
dc.contributor.authorReisinger, Ryan Rudolf
dc.contributor.authorKastner, Sabine
dc.contributor.authorMarquez, Maria E.I.
dc.contributor.authorMcIntyre, Trevor
dc.contributor.authorBester, Marthan Nieuwoudt
dc.contributor.authorPlotz, Joachim
dc.date.accessioned2013-11-25T07:31:58Z
dc.date.available2013-11-25T07:31:58Z
dc.date.issued2013-11
dc.description.abstractImmobilization and anaesthesia of adult male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) is potentially risky for animals and scientists. A tiletamine/zolazepam injection is considered the most appropriate drug combination for field application in this species. Since appropriate dosages are difficult to assess due to uncertainties in weight estimation, we used photogrammetry-derived weight estimates to ensure precise post hoc calculations of dosages. We report on 15 intramuscular tiletamine/zolazepam immobilizations of post-moult males of the upper weight class at King George Island/Isla 25 de Mayo, in April 2010. Initial injections were made using blowpipe syringes. Mean tiletamine/zolazepam combined dosages of 0.71 mg kg-1 (SD ± 0.16) ranged between 0.46 and 1.01 mg kg-1. In four cases, ketamine was added in dosages between 0.96 and 2.61 mg kg-1. Mean induction period was 23 min (± 15), and the mean duration of the procedures from first injection to release of the animals required 96 min (± 51). Four seals exhibited periods of apnoea, and one case of an extended, repetitive, and potentially critical apnoea ([25 and 8 min) required intervention in order to successfully re-initiate spontaneous respiration. All procedures resulted in proper immobilizations allowing for the deployment of the satellite tags on the seals’ heads. The fact that even substantial deviations between the initial weight estimates and the photogrammetry- derived weight estimates had no apparent effect on the course of the immobilization underlines the drugs’ wide safety margin in this species.en_US
dc.description.librarianhb2013en_US
dc.description.urihttp://link.springer.com/journal/300en_US
dc.identifier.citationBornemann, H, De Bruyn, PJN, Reisinger, RR, Kastner, S, Marquez, MEI, McIntyre, T, Bester, MN & Plotz, J 2013, 'Tiletamine/zolazepam immobilization of adult post-moult southern elephant seal males', Polar Biology, vol. 36, no. 11, pp. 1687-1692.en_US
dc.identifier.issn0722-4060 (print)
dc.identifier.issn1432-2056 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.1007/s00300-013-1378-5
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/32586
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherSpringeren_US
dc.rights© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.The original publication is available at : http://link.springer.com/journal/300en_US
dc.subjectMirounga leoninaen_US
dc.subjectAnaesthesiaen_US
dc.subjectApnoeaen_US
dc.subjectMoulten_US
dc.subjectSouthern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina)en_US
dc.titleTiletamine/zolazepam immobilization of adult post-moult southern elephant seal malesen_US
dc.typePostprint Articleen_US

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