in weight from 52.0 – 71.0 kg) that required clinical
examination, deworming, blood collection and genetic
material collection. The animals were housed at the
Wildlife Pharmaceuticals Wildlife Research Facility
outside Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. The BAM combination
consisted of 30 mg butorphanol, 12 mg azaperone
and 12 mg medetomidine per millilitre. Darting was
done in a 6 x 8 meter enclosure from an upper deck
at distances ranging from 5 to 12 m. The individual
dose was estimated based on animal size and small,
medium and large females were administered 0.5 ml,
0.6 ml, and 0.7 ml respectively and small, medium and
large males were administered 0.7 ml, 0.8 ml and 0.9
ml respectively.
In seven randomly chosen animals of both sexes, 8000
units of hyaluronidase was added to the dart. After
weighing the animals, the actual medicine doses were
calculated as BAM (0.012 ml/kg): butorphanol (0.34
mg/kg), azaperone (0.14 mg/kg) and medetomidine
(0.14 mg/kg). Physiological variables were recorded
every 5 min, beginning at 10-20 min after darting.
Three arterial blood samples were also collected from
all animals at 20, 30 and 40 min of monitoring for
analysis of blood gases and acid-base status.
The study found that all the inductions were calm and
smooth and there was no need for additional injections
to achieve complete immobilisation. When BAM was
used on its own, the animals became recumbent within
less than 10 min. When hyaluronidase was added to
the dart, time to recumbency improved to within less
than 6 min. The quality of immobilisation was good
with proper muscle relaxation, no muscle twitching and
no response to intubation, blood sampling or handling.
Heart rate (mean = 45 ± 6 beats/minute) and respiration
(mean = 38 ± 4 breaths/minute) was stable throughout
immobilisation. Mean arterial blood pressure for all
the animals was stable but slightly elevated (137 ± 7
mmHg). Rectal temperature increased slightly during
monitoring but stayed below 40 °C. All of the animals
were mildly hypertensive (mean MAP = 137 ± 7 mmHg)
but stable. Compared to the severe hypoxia usually
observed with potent opioids, all of the animals were
only mildly hypoxic throughout monitoring (mean
PaO2 = 72 ± 3 mmHg).
Immobilisation was reversed with naltrexone
(Trexonil, Wildlife Pharmaceuticals (Pty) Ltd.) at the
same milligram to milligram dose as butorphanol
and atipamezole (Alphanil, Wildlife Pharmaceuticals
(Pty) Ltd.) at 5 times the dose of medetomidine. Both
reversals were given intramuscularly. The recovery
time after injection of the reversals was less than
5 minutes. Overall, BAM provided reliable and safe
immobilisation in blesbok and is recommended for
use in captive situations where longer inductions are
not a problem. The addition of hyaluronidase to the
immobilisation mixture seems to improve induction
times substantially.
For more information regarding Bamanil, contact
Wildlife Pharmaceuticals (Pty) Ltd at vetsupplies@
wildpharm.co.za.
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