Re: Reptile Anaesthesia

Cat Woman — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:01:19 GMT

Thanks guys. Pinxette, that was a really helpful post.

Have been reading that some people are using Alfaxalone with good results - so I will research that a little more, as the surgery is not until end of next week.

Re: Reptile Anaesthesia

Carrie Apps RVN A1 CertExVN GradDipVN CSQP — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:51:40 GMT

We mainly use propofol iv to induce anaesthesia (10-14mg/kg), then intubate and maintain on IPPV isoflurane and oxygen using a ventilator (set to 100-150mmHg) or by hand (2-6 breaths per minute), to inflate the first two fifths of the patients body. If the patient is too small to give propofol iv, and nice and co-operative, we intubate conscious and induce anaesthesia using IPPV oxygen and iso. This can take up to ten minutes to be effective. Occasionally we 'gas down' non-breath holding reptiles using a mask or induction chamber, but again this can take ages. We sometimes use medetomidine and ketamine for large and/or un-cooperative reptiles. The disadvantage of this is they take forever (about and hour) to go to sleep and forever (up to days!) to wake up properly.

My other tips would be when waking up the patient it should remain intubated and on IPPV until it is breathing by itself. Do the usual and flush the circuit with oxygen and give the patient a few breaths with IPPV oxygen to get the iso out of their system. We then use an ambu bag attached to the ET tube to breathe for the patient, as a reptiles’ stimulation to breathe is falling blood oxygen levels, and not rising carbon dioxide pressure as in mammals and birds, so IPPV with 100% oxygen can inhibit respiration. Doxapram can be used to stimulate respiration if recovery is taking a long time. Also make sure the temperature for the patient is at the high ened of their preferred temperature, this can really affect the speed of recovery, use a doppler probe to monitor heart rate and toothbrushes are good for scrubbing up reptile skin, as cotton wool and swabs can leave bits on the scales!

Sorry for the essay, good luck with the GA, I like reptile anaesthesia

Re: Reptile Anaesthesia

Sally Howe — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:27:50 GMT

propofol in a small lizard is 3-5mg/kg given iv

iguana 5-10mg/kg given iv

Re: Reptile Anaesthesia

Sal the 1st — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:17:07 GMT

have seen propofol used i/v into tail on an iguana but sorry dont know doses - vein was easy to find tho if it helps