Safe and effective but unscheduled drug combinations are needed for wildlife immobilization in some jurisdictions. To this end, we evaluated a combination of nalbuphine HCl (40 mg/mL), medetomidine HCl (10 mg/mL), and azaperone tartrate (10 mg/mL)—referred to as NalMed-A (or NAM)—in 28 American black bears (Ursus americanus), captured during June to August 2014 as part of an ongoing study conducted in and around Durango, Colorado, USA. We effectively immobilized all bears; induction (mean ± SE) was 16.2 ± 0.9 minutes (n = 25) and reversal was 19 ± 1.6 minutes (n = 24). Advantages of NalMed-A included low delivery volume, good sedation quality, and effective reversal. Moreover, NalMed-A does not contain compounds regulated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, making it a useful unscheduled immobilization combination. Based on these and subsequent field experiences, our dosing recommendations are 0.5–1 mL NalMed-A/45.5 kg estimated body mass (0.44–0.88 mg nalbuphine HCl/kg, 0.11–0.22 mg azaperone tartrate/kg, and 0.11–0.22 mg medetomidine HCl/kg), and 5 mg atipamezole HCl/mg medetomidine for antagonism.
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1 May 2016
Chemical immobilization in American black bears using a combination of nalbuphine, medetomidine, and azaperone
Lisa L. Wolfe,
Heather E. Johnson,
Mark C. Fisher,
William R. Lance,
David K. Smith,
Michael W. Miller
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Ursus
Vol. 27 • No. 1
May 2016
Vol. 27 • No. 1
May 2016
American black bear
Atipamezole
azaperone
chemical immobilization
medetomidine
nalbuphine
sedation