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1 March 2017 ANESTHETIC MANAGEMENT OF AN INDO-PACIFIC BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN (TURSIOPS ADUNCUS) REQUIRING SURGICAL DEBRIDEMENT OF A TAIL ABSCESS
Jun Tamura, Makio Yanagisawa, Yusuke Endo, Keiichi Ueda, Haruka Koga, Yasuharu Izumisawa, Kazuto Yamashita
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Abstract

This report describes the anesthetic management of a 14-yr-old, 160-kg, female Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) that underwent surgical debridement for a refractory subcutaneous abscess twice within a 6-mo interval. The animal was otherwise in good physical condition at each anesthetic procedure. Following premedication with intramuscular midazolam and butorphanol, anesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with sevoflurane by intubation. During surgery ventilation was controlled. Blood pressure was indirectly estimated using either oscillometric or pulse oximetry. Presumed hypotension was managed by adjusting the sevoflurane concentration and infusion of dopamine. During recovery, the dolphin regained adequate spontaneous respiration following intravenous administration of flumazenil and doxapram. The dolphin was extubated at 85 min and 53 min after the first and second surgeries, respectively. Successful weaning from the ventilator and initiation of spontaneous respiration was the most important complication encountered. Establishment of a reliable blood pressure measurement technique is critical to success for anesthesia in this species.

Copyright 2017 by American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
Jun Tamura, Makio Yanagisawa, Yusuke Endo, Keiichi Ueda, Haruka Koga, Yasuharu Izumisawa, and Kazuto Yamashita "ANESTHETIC MANAGEMENT OF AN INDO-PACIFIC BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN (TURSIOPS ADUNCUS) REQUIRING SURGICAL DEBRIDEMENT OF A TAIL ABSCESS," Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 48(1), 200-203, (1 March 2017). https://doi.org/10.1638/2016-0088.1
Received: 17 April 2016; Published: 1 March 2017
KEYWORDS
blood pressure
Bottlenose dolphin
general anesthesia
sevoflurane
Tursiops aduncus
ventilator weaning
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