Exotic Animal Formulary5

at this dose
Sevoflurane 2.21±0.32% 122 Chickens/PD; minimum anesthetic
concentration; dose-dependent
hypotension noted
Tiletamine/zolazepam
(Telazol, Zoetis)
4-25 mg/kg IM 69 Waterfowl/sedation; dose generally
decreases as body weight
increases in waterfowl
6.6 mg/kg IM 69 Swans
9-30 mg/kg IM 69 Wood partridges/restraint
Tramadol HCl 7.5 mg/kg PO 19 Peafowl/PK; only 2/6 birds reached
human tramadol analgesic
concentrations; 5/6 maintained
O-desmethyl-tramadol (M1)
concentrations above human
analgesic concentrations for 10-
12 hr and 3/6 for 24 hr; analgesia
not evaluated
Xylazine 1 mg/kg IV 98 Pekin ducks
1-20 mg/kg IM, IV 27 Waterfowl/sedation
10 mg/kg IM 171 Rock partridges/good sedation;
significant decrease in respiratory
rate; decrease in cloacal
temperature; prolonged
recoveries (205±22.2 min)
Yohimbine HCl (Yobine,
Lloyd)
— α 2 adrenergic antagonist; excitement
and mortality observed at doses
>1 mg/kg 69
0.1-0.2 mg/kg IV 27,69 Waterfowl
1 mg/kg IV 154 Guinea fowl/excitement and
mortality observed in birds at
doses >1 mg/kg 69
a
The anesthetic agents of choice in most avian species are the inhalant agents isoflurane and
sevoflurane.
b
All opiod agonists and agonist antagonists may cause respiratory depression; profound bradypnea
may occur with potent opioid agonists.
c
Many poultry species are considered food-producing animal species, and as such, these species are
regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 166 Even if the individual animals of any of
these species are never used for food, they are still regulated by the FDA. The FDA prohibits the use of
certain drugs, with no allowable extra-label drug use, in any food-producing animal species. These
prohibited drugs are clearly identified in the tables, and the doses are provided in case they are needed
for a similar but non-food-producing animal species (e.g., Attwater’s prairie chicken), and listings should
in no way be misconstrued as an endorsement of using FDA-prohibited drugs in any food-producing
animal species. Please refer to the appropriate tables at the end of this chapter regarding the definitions
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