Physiologic and blood gas effects of xylazine-ketamine versus xylazine-tiletamine-zolazepam immobilization of white-tailed deer before and after oxygen supplementation: a preliminary study

Abstract Objective To compare oxygenation and ventilation in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) anesthetized with two treatments with and without oxygen supplementation. Study design Randomized, blinded, crossover study. Animals A total of eight healthy adult white-tailed deer weighing 49–62 kg. Methods Each deer was anesthetized twice: treatments XK, xylazine (2 mg kg-1) and ketamine (6 mg kg-1) and XTZ, xylazine (2 mg kg-1) and tiletamine–zolazepam (4 mg kg-1) intramuscularly. With the deer in sternal position, arterial and venous blood was collected before and at 30 minutes during administration of oxygen at 1 L minute-1 through a facemask. PaO2 and heart rate (HR) were compared using two-way repeated measures ANOVA. pH, PaCO2 and lactate concentration were analyzed using mixed-effects linear models. p Results When breathing air, PaO2 was Conclusions and clinical relevance XK and XTZ resulted in hypoxemia, which responded to oxygen supplementation. Both treatments are suitable for immobilization of white-tailed deer under the study circumstances.