Acute cecal tympany during chemical restraint in free-ranging capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) - iatrogenic cause and treatment

The occurrence of acute tympany, probable cause and treatment are being discussed for the first time in Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, commonly known as the capybara. As part of a capybara population control study, adult male and female (n=18), prior to intervention, were physically confined and subsequently chemically immobilized with a ketamine dexmedetomidine (KD) association. Procedures included health exams, biomaterial collection, and ID markings. For surgical events, the animals were maintained under volatile anesthesia with Isoflurane. One animal, during anesthetic recovery, developed tachycardia and tachypnea, with cyanotic mucosa, and a low SPO2. During auscultation and percussion/palpation a taut abdominal wall was recognized. Shortly thereafter, the animal suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest and failed resuscitation. Immediately performed necropsy suggested death by acute respiratory and circulatory failure due to exerted pressure against the diaphragm and compression of major blood vessels, leading to hypoxia and hypovolemic shock, secondary to cecal dilation. Three animals under general anesthesia demonstrated moderate bloating and were treated by trans-abdominal catheterization for cecal decompression, successfully preventing any potential development of severe tympany. Conclusion: During chemical restraint all animals demonstrated bloat of varies degrees, suggesting iatrogenic cause brought about by adverse effects of anesthetic agents. Acute cecal tympany in sedated capybaras must be anticipated and closely monitored to prevent fatal outcome. Trans-abdominal catheterization into the cecum proved effective in treating bloat.

Acute cecal tympany during chemical restraint in free-ranging capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) - iatrogenic cause and treatment

The occurrence of acute tympany, probable cause and treatment are being discussed for the first time in Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, commonly known as the capybara. As part of a capybara population control study, adult male and female (n=18), prior to intervention, were physically confined and subsequently chemically immobilized with a ketamine dexmedetomidine (KD) association. Procedures included health exams, biomaterial collection, and ID markings. For surgical events, the animals were maintained under volatile anesthesia with Isoflurane. One animal, during anesthetic recovery, developed tachycardia and tachypnea, with cyanotic mucosa, and a low SPO2. During auscultation and percussion/palpation a taut abdominal wall was recognized. Shortly thereafter, the animal suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest and failed resuscitation. Immediately performed necropsy suggested death by acute respiratory and circulatory failure due to exerted pressure against the diaphragm and compression of major blood vessels, leading to hypoxia and hypovolemic shock, secondary to cecal dilation. Three animals under general anesthesia demonstrated moderate bloating and were treated by trans-abdominal catheterization for cecal decompression, successfully preventing any potential development of severe tympany. Conclusion: During chemical restraint all animals demonstrated bloat of varies degrees, suggesting iatrogenic cause brought about by adverse effects of anesthetic agents. Acute cecal tympany in sedated capybaras must be anticipated and closely monitored to prevent fatal outcome. Trans-abdominal catheterization into the cecum proved effective in treating bloat.(AU)

TÓPICOS DE ATUALIZAÇÃO EM ANESTESIA DE ROEDORES E LAGOMORFOS

Pequenos mamíferos estão mais frequentes como animais de estimação pelo mundo. Coelhos, chinchillas, porquinhos-da-índia, ferrets, hamsters, degus, petauros e outras espécies apresentam diferentes demandas para cuidado, portanto há sempre uma opção para cada residência. Nesse cenário, os proprietários demandam qualidade do atendimento veterinário. Cirurgias e emergências serão mais frequentes na rotina clínica e as técnicas devem ser desenvolvidas, otimizando o sucesso e bemestar dos pacientes. A anestesia de pequenos mamíferos pode ser desafiante, há peculiaridades anatômicas e fisiológicas, tamanho reduzido, alto metabolismo e a canulação e intubação endotracheal pode ser difícil. Visando uma anestesia efetiva com relaxamento muscular, analgesia e perda de consciência, protocolos balanceados devem ser buscados. O bloqueio do plano transverso (TAP block) provou ser uma técnica praticável em chinchilas, e provavelmente outras espécies de roedores e em coelhos. Apesar de a descrição anatômica da parede abdominal de chinchilas não ser completamente descrita, o TAP block foi realizado com sucesso empírico em dois animais. Bloqueios locorregionais são uma excelente opção para analgesia com efeitos sistêmicos reduzidos, o que é desejado em pequenos pacientes, especialmente herbívoros. O principal desafio de realizar o TAP block em chinchila é o tamanho do paciente o que requer material de tamanho adequado e treinamento prévio do profissional. O TAP block provê analgesia apenas da parede abdominal e deve ser utilizado como parte de um protocolo anestésico balanceado para cirurgias abdominais, otimizando analgesia trans e pos operatória. A intubação endotraqueal de coelhos é considerada complicada, especialmente às cegas. A técnica é descrita demandando várias tentativas, tempo longo e resultando em falhas e lesões de glote. A intubação com visualização indireta da glote por meio de endoscópio é considerada ótima para o processo, entretanto um equipamento de endoscopia pode ser grande e caro, nem sempre sendo acessíveis, ao contrário do dispositivo de smartphone descrito nesse trabalho. Ambas técnicas, às cegas e assistida por endoscópio, provaram ser confiáveis para intubação de coelhos, entretanto as vantagens do endoscópio não foram totalmente confirmadas, inclusive a anestesiologista foi mais eficiente na técnica às cegas. Sugerindo que o domínio da técnica, independente de qual, é essencial para otimizar o sucesso da intubação de coelhos.

Small mammals are being increasingly more frequent as pets worldwide. Rabbits, chinchillas, guinea-pigs, ferrets, hamsters, degus, sugar-gliders, and other species have different behaviors and demands for care, therefore there is always an adequate species for each residency. In this scenario, owners of these pets are demanding optimal veterinary care. Surgical and emergency cases will be more frequent in the veterinary routine and techniques must be improved to enhance success rate and welfare of these animals. Small mammals anesthesia can be challenging, they have specific anatomic and physiological features, reduced size, high metabolism rates and catheterization and tracheal intubation can be challenging or even unsuccessful. Aiming an effective anesthesia with muscle relaxation, analgesia and loss of consciousness, balanced protocols must be pursued. The transverse plane block proved to be a feasible technique to be applied in chinchillas, and probably other rodent species and rabbits. Although the abdominal wall anatomy of chinchillas still not fully described, the technique was performed in two animals with empiric success. Regional blocks are excellent options for analgesia with minimal systemic effects, what is desired in many small patients, especially the herbivores. The main challenge for performing the TAP block in chinchillas is the size of the patient, requiring adequate size material and previous training of the professional. The TAP block only provides analgesia to the abdominal wall, and must be used as part of a balanced anesthetic protocol especially for abdominal surgeries, improving both trans as postoperative analgesia. Rabbit endotraqueal intubation is considered tricky, especially by the blind technique. It is reported to require many attempts, a considered amount of time and resulting in occasional failures and glottic lesions. Intubation with indirect visualization of the glottis through an endoscope is considered optimal to improve the process, however endoscopic systems may be large and expensive, being not always available, instead of the smartphone-based device reported in this study. Both blind and endoscope-assisted techniques were proved to be reliable for rabbit intubation, however expected differences were not confirmed. Reduced time and occurrence of complications expected for the endoscopic group were not confirmed in this study, however the anaesthesiologist performed better with the blind technique. Suggesting that mastering is essential for improved success of rabbit intubation independent of the technique.