J Zoo Wildlife Med
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Clinical Trial
Comparison of xylazine-ketamine and dexmedetomidine-ketamine anesthesia in captive Formosan serows (Capricornis swinhoei).
The Formosan serow (Capricornis swinhoei) is a rare endemic species found in Taiwan. Few studies, including studies on anesthetic protocols, have been conducted on this species. This study evaluates the anesthetic effectiveness of intramuscular xylazine-ketamine and dexmedetomidine-ketamine on captive Formosan serows. ⋯ Both drug combinations showed smooth anesthetic and recovery processes without statistical differences in respiratory rate, heart rate, rectal temperature and hemoglobin oxygen saturation. Dexmedetomidine-ketamine reversed by atipamezole showed a significantly shorter recovery time (1.8 ± 2.3 min) than xylazine-ketamine reversed by tolazoline (4.5 ± 1.7 min) (P < 0.05). Both anesthetic protocols indicated safe and reliable immobilization whereas atipamezole provided better reversal.