Anesthesia in American alligator (Alligator mississipiensis) for a limb amputation / Anestesia em jacaré-americano (Alligator mississipiensis) para amputação de membro

ABSTRACT

Background: The knowledge of secure anesthetic protocols for reptiles is very important, especially because they are aggressive species and they have peculiar physiology, unpredictable reactions to the same drug in different environmental conditions and different physiological responses can be observed. The anesthetic protocol aims immobilization, analgesia and muscle relaxation for adequate, safe and easily reversible anesthesia. Few reports have been described on anesthesia in animals and, before that, the objective of this study is to report the anesthetic protocol that was used and vital parameters monitoring in an Alligator mississipiensis that was submitted to surgery for limb amputation. Case A female American alligator was attended, with about 8-year-old, 2 m long and 268,964 pounds, with fight history with other animal six months ago, resulting in a wound in the right toracic limb. When the lesion occurred, it was the breeding season of the species, so we chose not to perform the treatment at that time. An X-ray of the member was performed, which showed, among other changes, osteomyelitis and septic arthritis. Thus, the limb amputation was indicated. Ketamine association (10 mg/kg) and medetomidine (0.1 mg/kg) were used as anestesic premedication, both administered intramuscularly. For anesthetic induction, propofol (4 mg/kg) intravenously was used. The animal was [...](AU)