Anesthetic Considerations for Exotics Flashcards
Anatomic Diversity: Elephants
Do not ventilate well in sternal recumbency
Anatomic Diversity: Penguins
Bifurcation at varying locations, some more cranially than others
Important when intubating
Anatomic Diversity: Birds
Complete tracheal rings - careful when inflating the cuff*
Tracheal opening very rostral
Anatomic Diversity: Snakes
Heart lies approximately at the intersection of the cranial and middle third of its body length
Important when auscultating
Anatomic Diversity: Large Camelids
Larynx must be palpated and endotracheal tubes are generally placed by feel
Anatomic Diversity: Small Mammals
Many are obligate nasal breathers
Only the nose needs to be covered with a mask or cone for delivery of oxygen
Anatomic Diversity: Turtles
Lungs ‘hang’ from its dorsal shell and they ventilate themselves by actively increasing the size of their celomic cavity
Will not spontaneously ventilate well in dorsal recumbency
Define: Metabolic Scaling
Metabolism of all organisms is inversely related to the 3/4 power of their body mass
Metabolism of small organisms will be orders of magnitude higher than that of large animals
Metabolic Scaling: Drug Doses
Higher doses of drugs will be needed for small animals
Lower doses are needed to achieve the same effect in larger animals
Metabolic Scaling: Hypoglycemia and Hypothermia
Smaller animals are more likely to become hypoglycemia and hypothermic during and after anesthesia
Why use tertbutaline in rabbits?
Bronchodilator
Difficult to intubate
Why is glycopyrrolate better than atropine in rabbits?
Atropinase = quick degradation
Why shouldn’t we use propofol in rabbits
Apnea
Ventilation can be difficult
Pain Management: Rabbits
Okay to give opioids!
Pain will also cause GI stasis (opioids cause less)
Where is an IV catheter placed in birds?
R jugular
Wing vein
Not intraosseus
