Butorphanol with oxygen insufflation improves cardiorespiratory function in field-immobilised white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)

Authors

  • Anna Haw University of the Witwatersrand
  • Markus Hofmeyr South African National Parks
  • Andrea Fuller University of the Witwatersrand
  • Peter Buss South African National Parks
  • Michele Miller Stellenbosch University
  • Gregory Fleming Disney’s Animal Programs and Environmental Initiative
  • Leith Meyer University of Pretoria

Abstract

Opioid-induced immobilisation results in severe respiratory compromise in the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). The effectiveness of oxygen insufflation combined with butorphanol in alleviating respiratory depression in free-ranging chemically immobilised white rhinoceroses was investigated. In this prospective intervention study 14 freeranging white rhinoceroses were immobilised with a combination of etorphine, azaperone and hyaluronidase. Six minutes (min) after the animals became recumbent, intravenous butorphanol was administered and oxygen insufflation was initiated. Previous boma trial results were used for comparison, using repeated measures two-way analysis of variance. The initial immobilisation-induced hypoxaemia in free-ranging rhinoceroses (arterial partial pressure of oxygen [Pa O2 ] 35.4 mmHg ± 6.6 mmHg) was similar to that observed in bomaconfined rhinoceroses (Pa O2 31 mmHg ± 6 mmHg, n = 8). Although the initial hypercapnia (Pa CO2 63.0 mmHg ± 7.5 mmHg) was not as severe as that in animals in the boma trial (79 mmHg ± 7 mmHg), the field-immobilised rhinoceroses were more acidaemic (pH 7.10 ± 0.14) at the beginning of the immobilisation compared with boma-immobilised rhinoceroses (pH 7.28 ± 0.04). Compared with pre-intervention values, butorphanol with oxygen insufflation improved the Pa O2 (81.2 mmHg ± 23.7 mmHg, p < 0.001, 5 min vs 20 min), arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (55.3 mmHg ± 5.2 mmHg, p < 0.01, 5 min vs 20 min),
pH (7.17 ± 0.11, p < 0.001, 5 min vs 20 min), heart rate (78 breaths/min ± 20 breaths/min, p < 0.001, 5 min vs 20 min) and mean arterial blood pressure (105 mmHg ± 14 mmHg, p < 0.01, 5 min vs 20 min). Oxygen insufflation combined with a single intravenous dose of butorphanol improved oxygenation and reduced hypercapnia and acidaemia in immobilised free-ranging white rhinoceroses.

Author Biographies

  • Anna Haw, University of the Witwatersrand

    School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

  • Markus Hofmeyr, South African National Parks

    South African National Parks, Skukuza, South Africa

  • Andrea Fuller, University of the Witwatersrand

    School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

  • Peter Buss, South African National Parks

    South African National Parks, Skukuza, South Africa

  • Michele Miller, Stellenbosch University

    Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, DST/ NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

  • Gregory Fleming, Disney’s Animal Programs and Environmental Initiative

    Disney’s Animal Programs and Environmental Initiatives, Lake Buena Vista, United States

  • Leith Meyer, University of Pretoria

    Department of Paraclinical Sciences, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa

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Published

2021-12-09

Issue

Vol. 86 No. 1 (2015)

Section

Original Research