Sedación, inmovilización y anestesia con xilacina-ketamina en vicuña (Vicugna vicugna)

Rational and wise utilization of the vicuna is the next aim to be achieved in this wild species conservation programme, considering the success in the protection phase that led to a considerable increase in their population in the high Andes of northern Chile. National plans are heading to their fine fibre production, harvested from live specimens and it appears necessary to improve animals capture techniques. Chemical restraint using xylazine hydrochloride and ketamine hydrochloride was evaluated, to determine the adequate drug dosages for the species and sedation and anaesthesia characteristics: signs and induction time, immobilization and analgesia duration, as well as time to complete recovery. Fourteen adult vicuna males, confined at Lauca National Park 4470 altitude, 18o10' S, 69o27' W- were used in the study. Two parenteral anaesthetic protocols were evaluated: Treatment A 51 and 5 mg/kg body weight, intravenously (I. V.) and Treatment B- 1.5 and 7.5 mg/kg body weight, intramuscularly (I.M.) of xylazine-HCI (Rompun ® , Bayer) and ketamine-HCI(Vetalar ® , Parke-Davis), respectively. Sedation, muscular relaxation and analgesia was attained in a high percentage of the treated animals 85.7% and 80.0%- being registered an induction period of 1.3 min and 7.4 min, with immobilization period of 14.2 min and 19.2 min, being the time to complete recovery 35.5 min and 40.5 min, in case of Treatment A and B, respectively. Variations in heart rate, respiratory rate and body temperature were not statistically significant along the induction and immobilization periods, and recovery was brief and gentle. These results suggest that the combination of xylazine/ketamine in the doses employed are adequate to be used safely in management and minor surgical procedures. Nevertheless, its application to capturing manoeuvres still must be demonstrated.