A Global Systematic Review of Lead (Pb) Exposure and its Health Effects in Wild Mammals.

Lead (Pb) is a toxic nonessential metal, known mainly for causing poisoning of humans and wild birds. However, little is known about Pb exposure and its associated health effects in wild mammals. We conducted a global systematic literature review to identify peer-reviewed studies published on Pb exposure in wild mammalian species and the health effects they identified. In total, 183 studies, conducted in 35 countries and published over 62 yr (1961-2022), were included in the review. Only 6% (11/183) of the studies were conducted in developing countries. Although 153 mammalian species were studied, most studies focused on species that are easy to access (i.e., hunted species and small mammals that are easy to trap). Therefore, carnivores and scavengers were less frequently studied than herbivores and omnivores. Despite all studies reporting Pb concentrations, only 45 (25%) studies investigated health effects and, of these 45 studies, only 28 (62%) found any health effect in 57 species. All health effects were negative and ranged from subclinical effects to fatality. Methodologies of Pb sampling and quantification and reporting of results varied widely across the studies, making both Pb concentrations and health effects difficult to compare and evaluate. Thus, there is a need for more research on Pb exposure and its health effects on wild mammals, especially as carnivores and scavengers could be used as sentinels for ecosystem health.

Body mass is associated with hibernation length, body temperature, and heart rate in free-ranging brown bears.

BACKGROUND: Despite centuries of research, debate remains on the scaling of metabolic rate to mass especially for intraspecific cases. The high variation of body mass within brown bears presents a unique opportunity to study the intraspecific effects of body mass on physiological variables. The amplitude of metabolic rate reduction in hibernators is dependent on body mass of the species. Small hibernators have high metabolic rates when euthermic but experience a drastic decrease in body temperature during torpor, which is necessary to reach a very low metabolic rate. Conversely, large hibernators, such as the brown bear (Ursus arctos), show a moderate decrease in temperature during hibernation, thought to be related to the bear's large size. We studied body mass, abdominal body temperature, heart rate, and accelerometer-derived activity from 63 free-ranging brown bears (1-15 years old, 15-233 kg). We tested for relationships between body mass and body temperature, heart rate, and hibernation duration. RESULTS: The smallest individuals maintained lower body temperatures during hibernation, hibernated longer, and ended hibernation later than large bears. Unlike body temperature, winter heart rates were not associated with body mass. In summer, the opposite pattern was found, with smaller individuals having higher body temperature and daytime heart rates. Body mass was associated with body temperature in the winter hypometabolic state, even in a large hibernating mammal. Smaller bears, which are known to have higher thermal conductance, reached lower body temperatures during hibernation. During summer, smaller bears had higher body temperatures and daytime heart rates, a phenomenon not previously documented within a single mammalian species. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the smallest bears hibernated more deeply and longer than large bears, likely from a combined effect of basic thermodynamics, the higher need for energy savings, and a lower cost of warming up a smaller body.

Arterial oxygenation and acid-base status before and during oxygen supplementation in captive European bison (Bison bonasus) immobilized with etorphine-acepromazine-xylazine.

Chemical immobilization of captive European bison (Bison bonasus) is often required for veterinary care, transportation, or husbandry practices playing an important role in conservation breeding and reintroduction of the species. We evaluated the efficiency and physiological effects of an etorphine-acepromazine-xylazine combination with supplemental oxygen in 39 captive European bison. Animals were darted with a combination of 1.4 mg of etorphine, 4.5 mg of acepromazine, and 20 mg of xylazine per 100 kg based on estimated body mass. Arterial blood was sampled on average 20 min after recumbency and again 19 min later and analyzed immediately with a portable i-STAT analyzer. Simultaneously, heart rate, respiratory rate, and rectal temperature were recorded. Intranasal oxygen was started after the first sampling at a flow rate of 10 mL.kg-1.min-1 of estimated body mass until the end of the procedure. The initial mean partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) was 49.7 mmHg with 32 out of 35 sampled bison presenting with hypoxemia. We observed decreased respiratory rates and pH and mild hypercapnia consistent with a mild respiratory acidosis. After oxygen supplementation hypoxemia was resolved in 21 out of 32 bison, but respiratory acidosis was accentuated. Bison immobilized with a lower initial drug dose required supplementary injections during the procedure. We observed that lower mean rectal temperatures during the immobilization event were significantly associated with longer recovery times. For three bison, minor regurgitation was documented. No mortality or morbidity related to the immobilizations were reported for at least 2 months following the procedure. Based on our findings, we recommend a dose of 0.015 mg.kg-1 etorphine, 0.049 mg.kg-1 acepromazine, and 0.22 mg.kg-1 xylazine. This dose reduced the need for supplemental injections to obtain a sufficient level of immobilization for routine management and husbandry procedures in captive European bison. Nevertheless, this drug combination is associated with development of marked hypoxemia, mild respiratory acidosis, and a small risk of regurgitation. Oxygen supplementation is strongly recommended when using this protocol.

Toxic elements in arctic and sub-arctic brown bears: Blood concentrations of As, Cd, Hg and Pb in relation to diet, age, and human footprint.

Contamination with arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) is a global concern impairing resilience of organisms and ecosystems. Proximity to emission sources increases exposure risk but remoteness does not alleviate it. These toxic elements are transported in atmospheric and oceanic pathways and accumulate in organisms. Mercury accumulates in higher trophic levels. Brown bears (Ursus arctos), which often live in remote areas, are long-lived omnivores, feeding on salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) and berries (Vaccinium spp.), resources also consumed by humans. We measured blood concentrations of As, Cd, Hg and Pb in bears (n = 72) four years and older in Scandinavia and three national parks in Alaska, USA (Lake Clark, Katmai and Gates of the Arctic) using high-resolution, inductively-coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry. Age and sex of the bears, as well as the typical population level diet was associated with blood element concentrations using generalized linear regression models. Alaskan bears consuming salmon had higher Hg blood concentrations compared to Scandinavian bears feeding on berries, ants (Formica spp.) and moose (Alces). Cadmium and Pb blood concentrations were higher in Scandinavian bears than in Alaskan bears. Bears using marine food sources, in addition to salmon in Katmai, had higher As blood concentrations than bears in Scandinavia. Blood concentrations of Cd and Pb, as well as for As in female bears increased with age. Arsenic in males and Hg concentrations decreased with age. We detected elevated levels of toxic elements in bears from landscapes that are among the most pristine on the planet. Sources are unknown but anthropogenic emissions are most likely involved. All study areas face upcoming change: Increasing tourism and mining in Alaska and more intensive forestry in Scandinavia, combined with global climate change in both regions. Baseline contaminant concentrations as presented here are important knowledge in our changing world.

Landscape of fear or landscape of food? Moose hunting triggers an antipredator response in brown bears.

Hunters can affect the behavior of wildlife by inducing a landscape of fear, selecting individuals with specific traits, or altering resource availability across the landscape. Most research investigating the influence of hunting on wildlife resource selection has focused on target species and less attention has been devoted to nontarget species, such as scavengers that can be both attracted or repelled by hunting activities. We used resource selection functions to identify areas where hunters were most likely to kill moose (Alces alces) in south-central Sweden during the fall. Then, we used step-selection functions to determine whether female brown bears (Ursus arctos) selected or avoided these areas and specific resources during the moose hunting season. We found that, during both day and nighttime, female brown bears avoided areas where hunters were more likely to kill moose. We found evidence that resource selection by brown bears varied substantially during the fall and that some behavioral changes were consistent with disturbance associated with moose hunters. Brown bears were more likely to select concealed locations in young (i.e., regenerating) and coniferous forests and areas further away from roads during the moose hunting season. Our results suggest that brown bears react to both spatial and temporal variations in apparent risk during the fall: moose hunters create a landscape of fear and trigger an antipredator response in a large carnivore even if bears are not specifically targeted during the moose hunting season. Such antipredator responses might lead to indirect habitat loss and lower foraging efficiency and the resulting consequences should be considered when planning hunting seasons.

Lead contamination in Australian game meat.

Lead-based ammunition (gunshot and bullets) frequently leaves small lead fragments embedded in the meat of wild-shot game animals. Australia produces several commercial game meat products from wild animals harvested with lead-based ammunition and has a growing population of recreational hunters. However, no studies have previously investigated the frequency of lead fragments or lead concentrations in Australian game meat. We examined 133 Australian minced game meat items of four types for evidence of lead contamination. Samples were meat from kangaroos (Macropus and Osphranter spp.; n=36) and Bennett's wallabies (Notamacropus rufogriseus; n=28) sold for human consumption, and deer ('venison'; multiple spp.; n=32) and stubble quail (Coturnix pectoralis; n=37) harvested for private consumption by recreational hunters. All packages were studied by digital radiography to detect the presence of radio-dense fragments, assumed to be lead fragments from ammunition. Visible fragments were absent in commercially available kangaroo products, but were present in 4%, 28% and 35% of wallaby, venison and quail, respectively. Mean meat lead concentrations (mg/kg wet weight) were 0.01 ± 0.01 for kangaroo, 0.02 ± 0.01 for wallaby, 0.12 ± 0.07 for venison, and 1.76 ± 3.76 for quail. The Australian food standards threshold for livestock meat (0.1 mg/kg w.w.) was not exceeded by any kangaroo or wallaby products but was exceeded by 53% and 86% of venison and quail, respectively. Radiography only detected 35% of samples that were above the food safety threshold. While average lead concentrations in commercially available macropod (kangaroo and wallaby) meat were low, those in recreationally harvested game meat may pose health risks for hunters and associated consumers.

Lead exposure in brown bears is linked to environmental levels and the distribution of moose kills.

Lead (Pb) is heterogeneously distributed in the environment and multiple sources like Pb ammunition and fossil fuel combustion can increase the risk of exposure in wildlife. Brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Sweden have higher blood Pb levels compared to bears from other populations, but the sources and routes of exposure are unknown. The objective of this study was to quantify the contribution of two potential sources of Pb exposure in female brown bears (n = 34 individuals; n = 61 samples). We used multiple linear regressions to determine the contribution of both environmental Pb levels estimated from plant roots and moose (Alces alces) kills to blood Pb concentrations in female brown bears. We found positive relationships between blood Pb concentrations in bears and both the distribution of moose kills by hunters and environmental Pb levels around capture locations. Our results suggest that the consumption of slaughter remains discarded by moose hunters is a likely significant pathway of Pb exposure and this exposure is additive to environmental Pb exposure in female brown bears in Sweden. We suggest that spatially explicit models, incorporating habitat selection analyses of harvest data, may prove useful in predicting Pb exposure in scavengers.

The cost of research: Lasting effects of capture, surgery and muscle biopsy on brown bear (Ursus arctos) movement and physiology.

Animal models are a key component of translational medicine, helping transfer scientific findings into practical applications for human health. A fundamental principle of research ethics involves weighing the benefits of the research to society against the burden imposed on the animals used for scientific purposes. The utilisation of wild animals for research requires evaluation of the effects of capture and invasive sampling. Determining the severity and duration of these interventions on the animal's physiology and behaviour allows for refining study methodology and for excluding or accounting for biased data. In this study, 39 Scandinavian brown bears (Ursus arctos) captured either while hibernating in winter or via helicopter in summer and that underwent surgery as part of a human health project had their movement, body temperature and timing of onset of hibernation compared with those of 14 control bears that had not been captured during the same period. Bears captured in winter and summer showed decreased movement from den exit until late summer, compared to those in the control group. Bears captured in summer showed reduced movement and body temperature for at least, respectively, 14 and 3 days, with an 11% decrease in hourly distance, compared to pre-capture levels, but did not differ in the timing of hibernation onset. We reveal that brown bear behaviour and physiology can be altered in response to capture and surgery for days to months, post-capture. This has broad implications for the conclusions of wildlife studies that rely upon invasive sampling.

Body temperature patterns during pregnancy and parturition in moose.

Gestation and lactation have high energetic requirements. Up to three-fourths of the gestation period in moose (Alces alces) overlaps with the food-scarce period in winter. During this period, moose deal with the limited forage resources available through hypometabolism with decreased heart rate and body temperature (Tb). Body temperature is also an indicator of oestrus, pregnancy and parturition, which is well documented in several domestic species. In this study, we sought to determine if moose displayed a similar Tb pattern during pregnancy and parturition to domesticated ruminants, and if we could detect parturition by combining Tb and activity data. We studied the Tb pattern of 30 free-ranging adult female moose (≥1.5 years old), equipped with ruminal temperature loggers and GPS collars. We documented a 0.13-0.19°C higher Tb in pregnant compared to non-pregnant moose, depending on the study area with the Tb difference increasing along a south-north gradient, and a drop in Tb and in activity when parturition was imminent. Detection of parturition was highly successful when combining Tb and activity data with an accuracy of 91.5%. Our findings demonstrate that Tb responses to pregnancy and parturition in a wild capital-breeding ruminant are similar to those of domesticated ruminants.

Lead exposure in American black bears increases with age and big game harvest density.

Hunting has multiple consequences for wildlife, and it can be an important source of environmental pollution. Most big game hunters use lead (Pb) ammunition that shed metal fragments in the tissues of harvested animals. These Pb fragments become available to scavengers when hunters discard contaminated slaughter remains in the environment. This exposure route has been extensively studied in avian scavengers, but few studies have investigated Pb exposure from ammunition in mammals. Mammalian scavengers, including American black bears (Ursus americanus), frequently use slaughter remains discarded by hunters. The objective of this study was to investigate whether big game harvest density influenced long-term Pb exposure in American black bears from Quebec, Canada. Our results showed that female black bears had higher tooth Pb concentrations in areas with higher big game harvest densities, but such relationship was not evident in males. We also showed that older bears had higher tooth Pb concentrations compared to younger ones. Overall, our study showed that Pb exposure increases with age in black bears and that some of that Pb likely comes from bullet fragments embedded in slaughter remains discarded by hunters. These results suggest that hunters may drive mammalian scavengers into an evolutionary trap, whereby the long-term benefits of consuming slaughter remains could be negated due to increased Pb exposure.

Retention and loss of PIT tags and surgically implanted devices in the Eurasian beaver.

BACKGROUND: Passive integrated transponder devices (PIT tags) are a valuable tool for individual identification of animals. Similarly, the surgical implantation of transmitters and bio-loggers can provide useful data on animal location, physiology and behavior. However, to avoid unnecessary recapture and related stress of study animals, PIT tags and bio-loggers should function reliably for long periods of time. Here, we evaluated the retention of PIT tags, and of very high frequency (VHF) transmitters and bio-loggers that were either implanted subcutaneously or into the peritoneal cavity of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber). RESULTS: Over a 21-year period, we implanted PIT tags in 456 individuals and failed to detect a PIT tag at recapture in 30 cases, consisting of 26 individuals (6% of individuals). In all instances, we were still able to identify the individual due to the presence of unique ear tag numbers and tail scars. Moreover, we implanted 6 VHFs, 36 body temperature loggers and 21 heart rate loggers in 28 individuals, and experienced frequent loss of temperature loggers (at least 6 of 23 recaptured beavers) and heart rate loggers (10 of 18 recaptured beavers). No VHFs were lost in 2 recaptured beavers. CONCLUSIONS: Possible causes for PIT tag loss (or non-detection) were incorrect implantation, migration of the tag within the body, a foreign body reaction leading to ejection, or malfunctioning of the tag. We speculate that logger loss was related to a foreign body reaction, and that loggers were either rejected through the incision wound or, in the case of temperature loggers, possibly adhered and encapsulated to intestines, and then engulfed by the gastro-intestinal tract and ejected. We discuss animal welfare implications and give recommendations for future studies implanting bio-loggers into wildlife.

Seasonality in Biological Rhythms in Scandinavian brown Bears.

Biological rhythms, such as rhythms in activity and body temperature, are usually highly synchronized and entrained by environmental conditions, such as photoperiod. However, how the expression of these rhythms changes during hibernation, when the perception of environmental cues is limited, has not yet been fully understood for all hibernators, especially in the wild. The brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Scandinavia lives in a highly seasonal environment and adapts to harsh winter conditions by exhibiting hibernation, characterized by reduced metabolism and activity. In this study, we aimed to explore the expression of biological rhythms in activity, body temperature and heart rate of free-ranging brown bears over the annual cycle, including active, hibernation and the transition states around den entry and exit. We found that rhythms in physiology and activity are mostly synchronized and entrained by the light-dark cycle during the bears' active state with predominantly diel and ultradian rhythms for body temperature, activity and heart rate. However, during hibernation, rhythms in body temperature and heart rate were considerably slowed down to infradian rhythms, influenced by the amount of snow in the denning area, whereas rhythms in activity remained diel. Rhythms in the transition states when bears prepared for entering or coming out of hibernation state displayed a combination of infradian and diel rhythms, indicating the preparation of the body for the change in environmental conditions. These results reveal that brown bears adjust their biological rhythms to the seasonal environment they inhabit. Rhythms in physiology and activity show simultaneity during the active state but are partly disconnected from each other during hibernation, when bears are most sheltered from the environment.

Hibernating brown bears are protected against atherogenic dyslipidemia.

To investigate mechanisms by which hibernators avoid atherogenic hyperlipidemia during hibernation, we assessed lipoprotein and cholesterol metabolisms of free-ranging Scandinavian brown bears (Ursus arctos). In winter- and summer-captured bears, we measured lipoprotein sizes and sub-classes, triglyceride-related plasma-enzyme activities, and muscle lipid composition along with plasma-levels of antioxidant capacities and inflammatory markers. Although hibernating bears increased nearly all lipid levels, a 36%-higher cholesteryl-ester transfer-protein activity allowed to stabilize lipid composition of high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Levels of inflammatory metabolites, i.e., 7-ketocholesterol and 11ß-prostaglandin F2α, declined in winter and correlated inversely with cardioprotective HDL2b-proportions and HDL-sizes that increased during hibernation. Lower muscle-cholesterol concentrations and lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase activity in winter suggest that hibernating bears tightly controlled peripheral-cholesterol synthesis and/or release. Finally, greater plasma-antioxidant capacities prevented excessive lipid-specific oxidative damages in plasma and muscles of hibernating bears. Hence, the brown bear manages large lipid fluxes during hibernation, without developing adverse atherogenic effects that occur in humans and non-hibernators.

Cardiomyocyte Protection by Hibernating Brown Bear Serum: Toward the Identification of New Protective Molecules Against Myocardial Infarction.

Ischemic heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Despite intensive research on the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, no effective therapy has shown clinical success. Therefore, novel therapeutic strategies are required to protect the heart from reperfusion injury. Interestingly, despite physical inactivity during hibernation, brown bears (Ursus arctos) cope with cardiovascular physiological conditions that would be detrimental to humans. We hypothesized that bear serum might contain circulating factors that could provide protection against cell injury. In this study, we sought to determine whether addition of bear serum might improve cardiomyocyte survival following hypoxia-reoxygenation. Isolated mouse cardiomyocytes underwent 45 min of hypoxia followed by reoxygenation. At the onset of reoxygenation, cells received fetal bovine serum (FBS; positive control), summer (SBS) or winter bear serum (WBS), or adult serums of other species, as indicated. After 2 h of reoxygenation, propidium iodide staining was used to evaluate cell viability by flow cytometry. Whereas, 0.5% SBS tended to decrease reperfusion injury, 0.5% WBS significantly reduced cell death, averaging 74.04 ± 7.06% vs. 79.20 ± 6.53% in the FBS group. This cardioprotective effect was lost at 0.1%, became toxic above 5%, and was specific to the bear. Our results showed that bear serum exerts a therapeutic effect with an efficacy threshold, an optimal dose, and a toxic effect on cardiomyocyte viability after hypoxia-reoxygenation. Therefore, the bear serum may be a potential source for identifying new therapeutic molecules to fight against myocardial reperfusion injury and cell death in general.

Concurrent BMP Signaling Maintenance and TGF-ß Signaling Inhibition Is a Hallmark of Natural Resistance to Muscle Atrophy in the Hibernating Bear.

Muscle atrophy arises from a multiplicity of physio-pathological situations and has very detrimental consequences for the whole body. Although knowledge of muscle atrophy mechanisms keeps growing, there is still no proven treatment to date. This study aimed at identifying new drivers for muscle atrophy resistance. We selected an innovative approach that compares muscle transcriptome between an original model of natural resistance to muscle atrophy, the hibernating brown bear, and a classical model of induced atrophy, the unloaded mouse. Using RNA sequencing, we identified 4415 differentially expressed genes, including 1746 up- and 2369 down-regulated genes, in bear muscles between the active versus hibernating period. We focused on the Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-ß and the Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) pathways, respectively, involved in muscle mass loss and maintenance. TGF-ß- and BMP-related genes were overall down- and up-regulated in the non-atrophied muscles of the hibernating bear, respectively, and the opposite occurred for the atrophied muscles of the unloaded mouse. This was further substantiated at the protein level. Our data suggest TGF-ß/BMP balance is crucial for muscle mass maintenance during long-term physical inactivity in the hibernating bear. Thus, concurrent activation of the BMP pathway may potentiate TGF-ß inhibiting therapies already targeted to prevent muscle atrophy.

High concentrations of lead (Pb) in blood and milk of free-ranging brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Scandinavia.

Exposure to lead (Pb) is a global health problem for both humans and wildlife. Despite a dramatic decline in human Pb exposure following restrictions of leaded gasoline and industry and thereby an overall reduction of Pb entering the environment, Pb exposure continues to be a problem for wildlife species. Literature on scavenging terrestrial mammals, including interactions between Pb exposure and life history, is however limited. We quantified Pb concentration in 153 blood samples from 110 free-ranging Scandinavian brown bears (Ursus arctos), 1-25 years old, using inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry. We used generalized linear models to test effects of age, body mass, reproduction status and spatial distribution on the blood Pb concentrations of 56 female bears. We sampled 28 females together with 56 dependent cubs and paired their blood Pb concentrations. From 20 lactating females, we measured the Pb concentration in milk. The mean blood Pb concentration was 96.6 µg/L (range: 38.7-220.5 µg/L). Both the mean and range are well above established threshold concentrations for developmental neurotoxicity (12 µg/L), increased systolic blood pressure (36 µg/L) and prevalence of kidney disease in humans (15 µg/L). Lactating females had higher Pb blood concentrations compared to younger, non-lactating females. Blood Pb concentrations of dependent cubs were correlated with their mother's blood Pb concentration, which in turn was correlated with the Pb concentration in the milk. Life-long Pb exposure in Scandinavian brown bears may have adverse effects both on individual and population levels. The high blood Pb concentrations found in brown bears contrast the general reduction in environmental Pb contamination over the past decades in Scandinavia and more research is needed to identify the sources and pathways of Pb exposure in the brown bears.

Partially Reversible Immobilization of Free-Ranging Huemul Deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) with Medetomidine-Ketamine and Atipamezole.

A combination of intramuscular medetomidine and ketamine was used to immobilize 46 free-ranging huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) with a remote drug delivery system in Chilean Patagonia for tagging and biological sampling. Captures occurred in May-October of 2005-09 between fall and early spring in the southern hemisphere. An initial dose of 6.6 mg medetomidine and 185 mg ketamine was adjusted after 17 captures to 3 mg and 200 mg, respectively, in the 29 remaining deer. Mean±SD adjusted dose was 0.042±0.012 mg/kg of medetomidine and 2.929±0.427 mg/kg of ketamine. Inductions were calm and the mean±SD time to sternal recumbency was 10.3±10.1 min. Palpebral reflex and jaw tone were present during immobilization. Atipamezole at 5 mg/mg of medetomidine was administered intramuscularly for reversal after 55.3±18.8 min procedure time. Recoveries were smooth and mean±SD time to standing was 10.2±3.3. All immobilized animals were hypoxemic by pulse oximetry (blood oxygen saturation approximately 81%). Three animals that developed apnea were resuscitated through chest compression and atipamezole administration, another regurgitated during capture, and all developed tachypnea. The combination of medetomidine-ketamine and atipamezole can be used for partially reversible immobilization of huemul, but supplemental oxygen should be administered, blood oxygenation should be monitored, and equipment for intubation and manual ventilation should be available.

Evaluation of Medetomidine-Ketamine for Immobilization of Feral Horses in Romania.

Feral horses are immobilized for a variety of reasons including population control via contraceptives. Although opioid combinations have been successfully used for immobilization of feral horses, there is a need for combinations using drugs that are more readily available and present less of a human health hazard. We evaluated the chemical immobilization with physiological measurements and blood gas analyses of 91 free-ranging feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) remotely immobilized with a combination of 30 mg medetomidine and 775 mg ketamine in a single disposable 6 ml dart. During immobilization, heart rate, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, capillary refill time and peripheral oxygen hemoglobin saturation (SpO2) were evaluated. In eight horses, arterial blood samples were analyzed to evaluate the blood gases, acid-base status and hematologic variables. Targeted horses presented a wide range of age, size and body condition. Eighty-one horses had an uneventful mean induction of 7.2 min. Eighty-nine horses were immobilized in lateral recumbency with good muscle relaxation and a median recumbency time of 67 min. Ten horses required supplemental ketamine intravenously (x̄ = 434 mg) due to incomplete immobilization. In 58 horses the effects of medetomidine were antagonized with atipamezole intravenously. Increased respiratory rate (>20 breaths/min), increased heart rate (>45 beats/min) and decreased SpO2 < 90% were noted in more than half of the individuals, while increased rectal temperature (>39.0°C) was recorded in six animals. Blood parameters showed hypoxemia (<90 mmHg, n = 8), hypercapnia (>45 mmHg, n = 5), high glucose levels (>134 mmol/L, n = 3), increased blood lactate (>1.5 mmol/L), total carbon dioxide, bicarbonate and base excess which further increased in the second sample, whereas SpO2 and calcium values decreased. Recoveries were smooth, with one (n = 86) or more (n = 5) attempts of standing. Eighty-nine recoveries were uneventful, besides one male that showed signs of monoparesis of the left front leg and one mare with signs consistent with exertional myopathy. In conclusion, medetomidine-ketamine provided a reliable immobilization in feral horses over a wide range of body mass and age. However, based on the observed hypoxemia during immobilization, oxygen supplementation is strongly recommended for this protocol.

Evaluation of Three Medetomidine-Based Anesthetic Protocols in Free-Ranging Wild Boars (Sus scrofa).

Three medetomidine-based drug protocols were compared by evaluating time courses, reliability and physiological effects in wild boars. A total of 21 cage-trapped wild boars (Sus scrofa) were immobilized using one of the following drug combinations; MTZ: medetomidine (0.2 mg/kg) + tiletamine-zolazepam (2.0 mg/kg), MK: medetomidine (0.15 mg/kg) + ketamine (5 mg/kg), and MKB: medetomidine (0.1 mg/kg) + ketamine (5.0 mg/kg) + butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg). Induction time, recovery time, and physiological variables were recorded and arterial blood gas analysis measured twice, before and after 15 min of oxygen supplementation (0.5-1.0 L/min). For reversal, 4 mg of atipamezole per mg of medetomidine was administered intramuscularly. The boars recovered in the cage and were released once ataxia resolved. The MK group had significantly longer recovery times (mean 164 min ± 79 SD) compared to the other groups. MKB elicited longer and incomplete induction compared to the other groups (mean induction time 20 min ± 10 SD), decreasing the efficiency of the capture and increasing the risk of hyperthermia. Both ketamine-based protocols required additional ketamine intramuscularly to prolong the anesthesia after 20-40 min from induction. Agreement between the pulse oximeter and the blood gas analyzer was low, with the pulse oximeter underestimating the real values of arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation, particularly at higher readings. Mild acute respiratory acidosis (PaCO2 45-60 mmHg) and mild to moderate hypoxemia (PaO2 69-80 mmHg) occurred in most boars, regardless of the treatment group but especially in the MKB group. The acid-base status improved and hypoxemia resolved in all boars during oxygen supplementation, with the PaO2 rising above the physiological reference range (81.6-107.7 mmHg) in many individuals. MK and MKB induced safe and reliable immobilization of wild boars for at least 20 min. Supplemental oxygen delivery is recommended in order to prevent hypoxemia in wild boars immobilized with the protocols used in the present study. Long and ataxic recoveries occurred in most animals, regardless of the protocol, but especially in the MKB group.