Effects of capture and intranasal oxygen supplementation during chemical restraint of wild pampas deer (Ozotocerus bezoarticus) in south Pantanal Wetland, Brazil

Abstract

Hypoxemia during capture and chemical restraint of cervids is relevant because it can contribute to cardiac arrhythmias, organ failure and capture myopathy. This study will be divided into three parts to evaluate the following effects in free-ranging pampas deer (Ozotocerus bezoarticus): the cardiorespiratory effects of tiletamine-zolazepam/xylazine (TZ/X) and ketamine/xylazine/midazolam (K/X/M) combinations and the response of nasal insufflation of oxygen (IO) (1st part); the effects of capture and chemical restraint on hematological, serum biochemistry and blood electrolyte parameters (2nd part); and the hormonal and behaviour responses to stress of capture and chemical restraint (3rd part). The animals will be captured in Pantanal wetland and will be randomly anesthetized as described in the follow experimental groups: G1 - TZ/X (1/0,1 mg/kg) i.m., without IO administration; G2 - TZ/X (1/0,1 mg/kg) i.m. with IO administration (3L/min/kg) for a period of 60 minutes; G3 - K/X/M (6/0,3/0,45 mg/kg) i.m., without IO administration e G4- K/X/M (6/0,3/0,45 mg/kg) i.m. and IO as described in G2. The anesthetic monitoring will include arterial hemogasometry, electrocardiography exams, blood pressure measurements and records of respiratory rates and rectal temperature in the 1st part; blood count, measures of albumin, creatine, total proteins, creatinine kinase, aspartateaminotransferase levels and Na+, iCa2+ e Cl- ions concentration will be evaluated in the 2nd part; and fecal glucocorticoids and behaviour analyses on the capture day after in the 3rd part. The parametric data will be analysed using ANOVA, followed by Tukey test and the non-parametric data will be analysed using Kruskal-Wallis test. P<0.05 will be considered significant. (AU)