Me. Gross et al., EXCITEMENT IN AN ELEPHANT AFTER INTRAVENOUS ADMINISTRATION OF ATROPINE, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 205(10), 1994, pp. 1437-1438
A 28-year-old Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) was anesthetized for ce
sarean section to remove a dead calf. The elephant was sedated with az
aperone, and atropine was administered Iv 90 minutes later in preparat
ion for induction of anesthesia with etorphine HCl. Within 1 minute of
injection of atropine, the elephant began swaying, kicking, and movin
g in an agitated manner around the stall. There is considerable variat
ion among species in the toxicity of atropine, although development of
toxicosis usually is associated with overdosage.