Efeitos clínicos e comportamentais do azaperone na tranquilização de catetos (Pecari tajacu) em diferentes doses

This study compares the effects of azaperone in doses of 2 and 4 mg/kg on clinical and behavioral parameters of collared peccaries (Peccary tajacu). Twenty male, adult collared peccary, clinically healthy, with an estimated weight of 25 kg were divided into two groups of 10 animals that received IM either 2 mg/kg or 4 mg/kg, azaperone. The animals were evaluated immediately after capture (M0) and 30 minutes after drug administration (M1) to measure the following parameters HR, ƒ, SBP, DBP, MBP (oscillometric method) and RT. Behavioral assessment used a qualitative tranquilization scale described for the species based on scores from 0 to 2 according to tranquilization degree where (0) means bad, (1) good and (2) excellent. The scores were assigned by observing the animals every 15 minutes from the time when the drug starts to take effect until return to normal behavior. The results were expressed as means and standard deviations and evaluated by the Shapiro-Wilk and paired t tests, and for asymmetric data, Wilcoxon test (p <0.05). There was no influence of dose in any of the clinical parameters evaluated. All physiological variables increased in M1 except SBP, DBP and MBP, which remained stable with mean values (± SD) of 174 ± 59, 109 ± 42 and 130 ± 53 mmHg respectively. It was observed that the animals that received the 4 mg/kg dose got higher scores (1 and 2), showing more apparent tranquilization signs, as reduction of movements and indifference to the environment. The effects of both dosages lasted for 3 hours. The tranquilization of collared peccary (Peccary tajacu) with azaperone was satisfactory at both doses, facilitating the capture and management while not promoting clinically significant changes in any of the doses administered.