Acid-base profile of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) awake or undergoing to isoflurane anesthesia

Abstract

Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) has significant presence in Brazilian cost, and it is frequent in clinic of marine animals, mainly due to environmental accidents. The study aims to establish the acid-base profile in Magellanic penguins by venous and arterial blood gas analysis. Fifteen adult penguins from Santos Municipal Aquarium, males or females and weighing between 3kg and 5kg will be used. In a first step, they will be submitted to a physical restraint and a 1mL of venous blood sample will be drawn by dorsal coccygeal vein puncture. In other time, all animals will besubmitted to physical restraint followed by induction of anesthesia with 4-5% of isoflurane, by facial mask and avalvular system circuit. Afterwards, they will be maintained at 1.5 MAC of the same anesthetic (parallel study), and 1mL of venous and arterial blood samples will be drawn, by dorsal coccygeal vein and tibial artery punctures, respectively. For two moments, the samples will be processed and pH, PCO2,PO2, SO2, TCO2, HCO3- and electrolytes will be measured. It is expected that with the results obtained in this study, it might be establish an acid-base profile between venous and arterial blood samples, as well as the differences between awake penguins and others submitted to isoflurane anesthesia.