Bronchial Tree System Analysis of Live Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas) Using Bronchoscopy.

Cetaceans, including beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), have high morbidity and mortality rates due to bacterial or fungal lower respiratory infections. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collection by bronchoscopy is beneficial for detecting pathogenic microorganisms in the lower respiratory tract. Efficient and safe bronchoscopy requires characterizing the bronchial tree systems of beluga whales, as no reports exist on bronchial length and bifurcation. In this study, bronchoscopy was performed on five captive beluga whales (9-44 years old) to detect bronchial length and bifurcation. The lengths from the blowhole to the scope impassable points due to the minimized bronchi diameters of the left principal bronchus (LPB), right principal bronchus (RPB), and tracheal bronchus (TB) were 110-155, 110-150, and 80-110 cm, respectively, and were correlated with the body length. Bronchoscopy identified more than 10, 10, and 6 bifurcated bronchi from the LPB, RPB, and TB, respectively. This is the first report to clarify the differences in bronchial tree systems between beluga whales and other cetaceans, as well as the differences for each individual beluga whale. These results could be useful for obtaining BALF via bronchoscopy to detect pathogenic microorganisms causing infections in the lower respiratory tract of beluga whales.

Midazolam and butorphanol combination for sedating beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas).

Safe sedation doses for performing minor procedures such as bronchoscopy, endoscopy, and tooth extraction for beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) require elucidation. This study aimed to provide suggestions for determining appropriate midazolam and butorphanol doses to adequately sedate beluga whales to complete procedures and minimize the risk of side effects. We administered midazolam and butorphanol to six captive beluga whales (9-44 years old). Topical lidocaine anesthesia was administered during bronchoscopy. The sedation doses for the beluga whales varied from 0.020 to 0.122 mg/kg for midazolam and from 0.020 to 0.061 mg/kg for butorphanol. In beluga whales, optimal midazolam and butorphanol doses were lowest in old whales. These findings contribute to knowledge regarding appropriate sedation and prevention of overdose accidents during minor procedures in beluga whales.