IMMOBILIZATION OF POLAR BEARS (Ursus maritimus, PHIPPS) WITH KETAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND XYLAZINE HYDROCHLORIDE

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1 IMMOBILIZATION OF POLAR BEAR (rsus mritimus, PHIPP) WITH KETAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND XYLAZINE HYDROCHLORIDE Author(s): J. LEE, R CHWEINBRG, FAYE KERNAN nd J. HAIGH ource: Journl of Wildlife Diseses, 17(3): Published By: Wildlife Disese Assocition RL: BioOne ( is nonprofit, online ggregtion of core reserch in the biologicl, ecologicl, nd environmentl sciences. BioOne provides sustinble online pltform for over 17 journls nd books published by nonprofit societies, ssocitions, museums, institutions, nd presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, nd ll posted nd ssocited content indictes your cceptnce of BioOne s Terms of se, vilble t sge of BioOne content is strictly limited to personl, eductionl, nd non-commercil use. Commercil inquiries or rights nd permissions requests should be directed to the individul publisher s copyright holder. BioOne sees sustinble scholrly publishing s n inherently collbortive enterprise connecting uthors, nonprofit publishers, cdemic institutions, reserch librries, nd reserch funders in the common gol of mximizing ccess to criticl reserch.

2 Journl of Wildlife Diseses Vol. 17, No. 3, July, IMMOBILIZATION OF POLAR BEAR (rsus mritimus, PHIPP) WITH KETAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND XYLAZINE HYDROCHLORIDE J. LEE,W R CHWEINBRG,LiJ FAYE KERNAN nd J. HAIGH Abstrct: Free rnging polr bers (rsus mritimus) were immobilized using concentrted solution of 2 mg ketmine HC1 nd 2 mg xylzine HC1 per ml. A men dosge of 6.8 mg (n=21) of ech drug/kg body weight ws successful in immobilizing polr bers older thn one yer nd 2.8 mg (n=6) of ech drug/kg body weight ws effective for cubs of the yer (COY). Men induction time for bers other thn COY ws 13.2 mm. Men induction time for COY ws 2 mm. Bers were trctble for minimum of 3 mm. Mle nd femle polr bers responded similrly to the drugs. Immobiliztion ws chrcterized by slow deep brething, relxed muscles, no excess slivtion nd no convulsions. The combintion of ketmine HC 1 nd xylzine HC1 ppers to be useful lterntive to drugs previously used for immobilizing polr bers. IN1 ROl)CTION The use of chemicl restrints in hndling wild nimls is now common prctice.9 In Cnd, reltively lrge numbers of polr bers re immol)ilize d nnully in reserch progrms. ntil recently phencyclidine HCl in combintion with promzine HCI hve been the most commonly used drugs. However, severl problems le ssocited with the use of phencyclidine HC1. The mjor problem is one of vilbility due to the drugs buse potentil. In ddition, phencyclidine HI frequently cuses convulsions nd respirtory difficulties in hers. Consequently, we tested ketmine HCIL in combintion with xylzine HC1 s n lterntive. The ction nd use of these drugs in wide vriety of species hve been described by severl uthors. 1,h,7,,1h Ibis pper reports the results obtined using ketmine HC1-xylzine HC1 combintion to imniobilize free rnging polr hei s in the High Arctic. MA I ERIAL ANt) METHOI) This study ws conducted in conjunction with Northwest Tei i itoi ies Wildlife ervice polr ber mrkrecpture project in Lncster ound. During the months of April nd My, 198, 45 polr hers weie locted nd immobilized from helicopter s described by Lentfer. The immobilizing gent used ws drug combintion of Northwest Territories Wildlife ervice, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, N.W.T. Deprtment of Veterinry Clinicl tudies, Western College of Veterinry Medicine, niversity of sktchewn, sktoon, sktchewn. ernyln, Bio-centic Lbortories Inc., t. Joseph, Missouri. Di prine, Wyeth Ltd., Downsview, Ontno. Crystlline, Prke, Dvis nd Co., Brockville, Ontrio. Di Rompun, Hver-Lockhrt, Byvet Division, Cutter Lbortories Inc., Mississug, Ontrio.

3 332 Journl of Wildlife Diseses Vol. 17, No. 3, July, 1981 ketmine HC1 2 W v nd xylzine HCI 2% w/v, i.e., 2 mg ml. To prepre this solution the formul nd procedure used is: ketmine HC1, 2() g; xylzine HC1, 2 g; lctic cid 55 Di q.s. ph 5.5; nd I)HO q.s. dd lo ml. I)issolve 2 g xylzine HC1 in 5 ml sterile distilled wter. Add 4 to 6 drops of lctic cid 85%. I)issolve 2 g ofketmine HC1 in bove solution. Het gently to 5(1 C. Add sufficient sterile distilled wter to obtin 1 ml finl volume. (NOTE: At this concentrtion, solution pproches sturtion, hence more concentrted solutions my begin to crystlize in few hours.) terilize solution into 5 ml stei ile bottles using.22 m bcteril filter.di Drts were used to deliver the drugs t dosge of 5.5 mg /kg body weight. Needles of 4.5 cm were used fir dult bers while 3 cm needles were used fin smller hers. Cubs of the yer (COY) were injected with hnd held syringe. Most injections were intrmusculr into the hindqurters lthough drt injections occsionlly occurred elsewhere. If little or no effect ws evident in 15 to 2(1 mm following the initil injection, second dose ws dministered. Men hert rtes, respirtory rtes, rectl tempertures, induction times, nd dosges were bsed only on those bers which were immobilized with one injection. Time to first effect ws defined s the time period from injection to the first drug induced sign (for exmple, stumbling or stggering). Induction time ws the period from injection to the time tht the ber becme trctble, i.e., when it hd lost muscle control of hed nd legs nd could be hndled sfely. ttisticl differences in induction times nd dosges between COY nd other bers were determined by the Mnn-Whitney -Test t significnce level of.5 for one-tiled test. Differences between sexes were determined by two-tiled T-test t significnce of.5. Recovery times were not recorded becuse of time constrints. Once polr bers were immobilized they were mrked with individully numbered er tgs. Bers were lso tttooed on both sides of the upper lip with corresponding number. Dt recorded for ech ber included weight, sex, totl length, thorcic girth nd physicl condition. The first premolr ws pulled for ge determintion. All bers were pinted with number for subsequent identifiction from the ir. RELT AND DICION The shelf life of the concentrted solution used in this study is unknown, but no crystliztion occurred fter 9 months in ny unused vil of drug. However, once vil hd been opened nd ws in use for severl dys, some crystliztion eventully occurred. This ws probbly cused by introducing crystls from the syringe used to lod the drts. The possibility of crystls forming could be reduced if new syringe ws used for ech drt or if the drug ws dispensed from bottles of smller volume. However, we found tht the drug would go bck into solution esily if it ws wrmed by being crried close to the body. A totl of 45 polr bers ws successfully immobilized using the ketmine HC1-xylzine HC1 combintion. Twenty-seven bers becme trctble with one injection (Tble 1), twelve nimls required second dose nd six received three or more injections. Of the 12 nimls requiring second injection,, from the Ltin n mening of ech (drug). Di Fisher-Certified Regent, Fisher cientific Co., Fir Lwn, New Jersey. Di Millex - G, Millipore Ltd., Mississug, Ontrio. Cp-chur Plmer Chemicl Co., Douglsville, Georgi.

4 Journl of Wildlife Diseses Vol. 17, No. 3, July I- C N 4- C ā E -C 14 E?.E 4- F- IL, C z z z - C C C C ) C ) C) C ) 3 It) - C - ci o 33C )N c - C N C ) - t- - N N N c.,1 - c C C C CCCNCC C ) - LtD 33 C ) C ) [C 3 Cl C C ) - - CI N C ) - 3 C ) C C l C ) -.- I o..9.2 o.2e-4 o - -C icx 4.4? , C.) -C bf -5 to 3 C CO N :15 -C. E O 4-bfj * 14? 3 five received the initil injection in poor loction, four were given smll injections by hnd nd three showed little or no effect fter the initil injection. nsuccessful initil injections cn be explined prtilly by individul vrition in response to the drug. However, ef! cctive dose is often function of drt plcement nd it is probble tht some injections occurred in ftty tissue, bone, or between the fsci of muscle groups. upplementl doses delivered by drt were normlly one hlf of the originl dose while hnd injections were 1 to 3 mg. Effective dosges for bers other thn COY rnged from 3.3 to 1.6 mg / kg with men of 6.8 mg /kg (n2l) (Tble 1). This ws within the rnge of dosges found effective for blck nd grizzly bers.1 The effective dosge for COY rnged from 1.6 to 5. mg kg with men of 2.8mg /kg (n=6). Men induction time for COY ws 2. mm (n=6) while other bers took n verge of 13.2 mm to become trctble. There ws significnt difference both in the effective dosge nd the induction time between COY nd other bers. A similr difference in induction times for younger nimls ws reported for blck bers. Dosges nd induction times did not differ significntly between sexes (P-O.5, n 21). The verge induction time of 13.2 mm is longer thn reported for other species. The longer iiiduction time ssocited with ketmine HC1 nd xylzine HC1 in polr bers could be function of 1) lower species sensitivity, 2) insufficient dosge or 3) needle length. High,TM suggested tht the longer induction time experienced with blck nd grizzly bers in the fll ws ssocited with needles of insufficient length to penetrte the ft lyer nd inject intrmusculrly. After drting, bers continued moving wy from the helicopter. Bers other thn COY begn to show effects of the

5 334 Journl of Wildlife Diseses Vol. 17. No. 3. July, 1981 drug in n verge of 4.6 mm (n= 17). The most common signs were stumbling nd stggering. everl bers showed slow deliberte wlk, while some stood still for severl minutes. The sequence of drug effect ws similr to tht observed in blck bers, with the hind qurters ffected first nd subsequent loss of coordintion moving forwrd. Prior to becoming trctble, bers often ly with their heds up, but were not pprochble. nderdosed bers were chrcterized by persistent slow wlking with some stggering. These bers often stumbled or fell repetedly but would recover quickly nd resume wlking. A drugged ber s bility to focus on movement nd rect to loud, shrp sounds were normlly relible indictions of incomplete sedtion. At this stge, most bers becme trctble if left undisturbed for short time. Once bers were trctble, they ppered to be deeply sleep. There ws no evidence of tetnus or convulsions which re common when ketmine HC1 is used lone. 15 Eyes remined open in 6% of the bers nd nystgmus ws present prior to complete sedtion in ll bers we could observe. rintion did not occur in contrst to blck ber where it occurred frequently. Hert rtes, respirtory rtes nd rectl tempertures were mesured n verge of 24 mm (n21, D=8.5) fter the initil injection. Hert rtes for nonmedicted sleeping polr bers rnge from 4-65 bets/min 2 In this study, immobilized bers other thn COY exhibited hert rtes from 36-9 bets/mm with men of 62.3 bets/mm (n17). imilr frequencies were observed in blck bers drugged with ketmine HC1 nd xylzine HC1. Ketmine HC1 is known to be crdic stimulnt but the brdycrdi ssocited with xylzine HC1H ppers to reduce the stimulnt effect. Respirtory frequencies for COY verged 11.3 mm (n=3), while tht of older bers rnged from 5-14 with men of 1.1 mm (n17). Best1 observed respirtory rtes of 1-2/mm in modertely ctive bers, while strenuous ctivity resulted in pnting. Of 45 bers in this study, only one ws observed to pnt during the trctble period. This ber lso hd the highest observed hert rte (18 bets/mm) nd rectl temperture (41.5 C). Vlues of these mesurements were not included in the overll mens. ome bers were undoubtedly overheted from running s rectl tempertures rnged from 36.5 to 4.2 C with men of 38.7 C (n=17). This is in contrst of 36.9 C for bers t rest. ome bers my hve pssed the pnting threshold but were unble to pnt due to the influence of the drugs, s both ketmine nd xylzine cuse vrying degrees of respirtory depression. 14,15 Time limittions precluded recording length of trctble periods; however, ll 45 bers were trctble for t lest 3 mm nd severl for 6 mm or longer. eventeen of the bers were resighted on different occsions nd showed no ill effects. No deths were observed. Ketmine HC1 hs reltively wide therpeutic sfety mrgin nd Addison nd Kolenosky, encountered only one ftlity during 355 trils with blck bers. CONCLION A mjor limittion in immobiliztion of lrge nimls hs been the lck of commercilly vilble gents of sufficient concentrtion to llow smll volume drt gun dministrtion of pproprite dosges. We were ble to Rompun Product Insert. Chemgro Animl Helth Dept. Hychem, Co.. Knss City. M. Ketsex Product Insert. Rogr/TB. London, Ontrio.

6 Journl of Wildlife Diseses Vol. 17, No. 3, July formulte concentrted solution using while working under summer conditions. the crystlline slts of ketmine HC1 nd Considering the wide sfety mrgin nd xylzine HC1 t 2% w/v of ech drug. In lck of undesirble side effects, the cornthis study immobiliztion of dult l)ers bintion of ketmine HC1 nd xylzine ws successful t men dosge of 6.8 HC1 ppers to be useful lterntive to mg /kg, lthough Andrishek (Pers. phencylidine HC1 for immobiliztion of Comm.) reports requiring higher dosges polr bers. Acknowledgements We grtefully cknowledge the logistic support of Polr Continentl helf Project, Petro-Cnd Explortions Ltd. nd the Northwest Territories Wildlife ervice. C. Armstrong nd G. mith of Kenting Helicopters provided efficient nd professionl helicopter service. pecil thnks re extended to D. Andrishek for comments nd suggestions on drug rtio nd dosges; Dr. D. Moont nd C. Burke of Byvet nd Prke-Dvis respectively for their ssistnce in obtining the drugs; nd Dr. Dle of the Bureu of Veterinry Medicine, Government of Cnd, for expediting uthoriztion to obtin nd use the drugs. K. Lloyd reviewed the mnuscript nd offered mny useful comments. LITERATRE CITED 1. ADDION, E.M., nd G.B. KOLENOKY se of ketmine hydrochloride xylzine hydrochloride to immobilize blck bers (rsus mericnus). J. Wildl. Dis. 15: BAER, C.H., R.E. EVERON nd.b. LINHARD Live cpture of coyotes from helicopter with ketmine hydrochloride. J. Wildl. Mnge. 42: BECK, C.C., R.W. COPPOCK nd B.. OTT Evlution of Vetlr (ketmine hydrochloride) unique feline nesthetic. Vet. Med./m. Anim. Clin. 66: BET, R.C Biologicl energetics of the polr ber (rsus mritimus) niversity of Guelph. M.c. thesis. 134 pp. 5. FOLK, G.E. Jr., R.C. IMMOND nd MA. FOLK The EKG of smll hiberntors nd bers. J. Therml Biol. 3: GERACI, J.R An pprisl of ketmine s n immobilizing gent in wild nd cptive pinnipeds. J. Am. vet. med. Ass. 163: GLENN, J.L., R. TRAIGHT nd C.C. NYDER Clinicl use of ketmine HC1 s n nesthetic for snkes. Am. J. Vet Res. 33: HAIGH, J.C Freeze-dried ketmine nd Rompun for use in exotic species. Proc. Am. Ass. Zoo Vet. Conf. Knoxville, Tennessee. pp HEBERT, D.M. nd R.J. McFETRIDGE Chemicl immobiliztion of North Americn gme nimls. Fish nd Wildlife Division, Albert Energy nd Nturl Resources, Edmonton, Albert. 1. LENTFER, J.W A technique for immobilizing nd mrking polr bers. J. Wildl. Mnge. 32: McCARTHY, D.A., G. CHEN, D.H. KAMP nd C. ENOR Generl nesthetic nd other phrmcologicl properties of 2-(o-chlorophenyl)-2- methylmin cyclohexnone HC1 (Cl-581). J. New Drugs 5:

7 336 Journl of Wildlife Diseses Vol. 17, No. 3, July ORITLAND, NA Temperture regultion of the polr ber (Thlrctos mritimus). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 37: PERRY, J.L Remote immobiliztion of bers with Ketset#{174} nd mixtures of Rompun nd Ketset. Border Grizzly Project Field Report. No PHILO, L.M Evlution of xylzine for chemicl restrint of cptive rctic wolves. J. Am. vet. med. Ass. 3: REID, J.. nd R.J. FRANK Prevention of undesirble side rections of ketmine nesthesi in cts. J. Am. Anim. Hosp. Ass. 8: THOMPON, G.E. nd D.C. MOORE Ketmine, dizpm, nd Innovr, computerized comprtive study. Anesthesi nd nlgesi. Current Res. 5: Received for publiction 8 October 198