CHEMICAL RESTRAINT OF AMERICAN ALLIGATORS (ALLIGATOR-MISSISSIPPIENSIS) WITH ATRACURIUM OR TILETAMINE-ZOLAZEPAM

Eight wild-caught juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippie nsis) were given diazepam (0.4 mg/kg i.m.) and atracurium (4 mg/kg i.m .) in one trial and tiletamine-zolazepam (15 mg/kg i.m.) in another tr ial to describe the effects and to evaluate the potential of these dru gs in the chemical restraint of crocodilians. Atracurium resulted in p rofound immobilization, with loss of the righting reflex at 38.8 +/- 2 3.4 (mean +/- SD) min postinjection (PI). Recovery of the righting res ponse occurred at 316.9 +/- 36.2 min PI. Five of the eight alligators became apneic. Apnea occurred at 28.0 +/- 16.4 min after loss of the r ighting reflex and persisted for 271.0 +/- 159.0 min. Resumption of sp ontaneous ventilation was variable, ranging from 205 min before to 195 min after recovery of the righting reflex. Temperature and heart rate were not significantly changed from baseline by atracurium. Tiletamin e-zolazepam administration did not completely abolish the righting ref lex, but righting was slowed in all animals by 15 min PI. Normal right ing was recovered at 183.8 +/- 33.8 min PI. Peak effect, as measured b y slowest righting, occurred at at 52.5 +/- 31.0 min PI. Temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate were not significantly altered by til etamine-zolazepam. The alligators injected with tiletamine-zolazepam w ere sluggish, nonaggressive, and unable to rise. Chemical restraint of alligators by tiletamine-zolazepam is sufficient for capture, translo cation, and minor medical procedures. The prolonged apnea induced by a tracurium is undesirable and makes this drug unsuitable for chemical r estraint of American alligators.