Utilisation of dexmedetomidine, ketamine and midazolam for immobilisation and health assessment of captive white-bellied spider monkeys (Ateles belzebuth) in the Amazon rainforest of Iquitos, Peru

Parada E.; Schwartz H.; Lam A.Y.; Baca-Montero O.; Laubscher L. · Veterinary Record Case Reports (2024) · DOI: 10.1002/vrc2.972

Resumen

This study presents data collected from 41 captive white-bellied spider monkey (Ateles belzebuth) immobilisations conducted between 2022 and 2024. The anaesthetic protocol employed consisted of dexmedetomidine (0.04 mg/kg), ketamine (5 mg/kg) and midazolam (0.25 mg/kg), with supplementary intramuscular doses dexmedetomidine (0.02 mg/kg) and ketamine (2.5 mg/kg) administered as needed. The protocol demonstrated fast and efficient induction times, with no reported complications, indicating its safety and efficacy. During immobilisation, all animals were placed in dorsal recumbency, with monitored physiological parameters including heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, SpO2 and capillary refill rate. Additionally, blood samples were collected for haematology and biochemistry analysis. The dose of atipamezole administered was 10 times that of dexmedetomidine. Data on time to recumbency, duration of immobilisation, recovery times and post-antagonist drug administration recovery were recorded. Moreover, details regarding the type of restraint and pre-anaesthetic activity level were included in the analysis.