Anaesthetic protocol for rabbits

RE: Anaesthetic protocol for rabbits

Rob Davis — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 08:59:29 GMT

[quote user="Neil Wheadon"]Have you had any deaths Rob?[/quote]

None that I can recall, and certainly none in routine procedures. I have been using this protocol for around 15 years so it's fairly well tried and tested.

RE: Anaesthetic protocol for rabbits

Marie Kubiak — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 21:07:19 GMT

[quote user="Neil Wheadon"]

[quote user="Rob Davis"]Propofol IV[/quote]

Have you had any deaths Rob?

I know one practice that uses this and has had at least 3 deaths within 6 months (not a huge caseload either) Naturally other factors involved though

Neil

[/quote]

The only unexpected rabbit GA death I have had was a rabbit I had to knock out at a tiny branch practice where they had bugger all equipment and drugs. They used propofol so I followed their protocol and the rabbit promptly died. Never been brave enough to try again!

RE: Anaesthetic protocol for rabbits

Neil Wheadon — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 19:51:06 GMT

[quote user="Rob Davis"]Propofol IV[/quote]

Have you had any deaths Rob?

I know one practice that uses this and has had at least 3 deaths within 6 months (not a huge caseload either) Naturally other factors involved though

Neil

RE: Anaesthetic protocol for rabbits

Rob Davis — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 19:45:29 GMT

Propofol IV: 2mg/kg initially then O2 by mask for 2 minutes, then further propofol to effect (usually use around 10mg/kg but does vary). I find they wake up better and more quickly than with dom/torb/ket which most of my colleagues use, but each to their own. It does mean they need to be intubated and maintained on oxygen/isofluorane. We do have V-gel tubes, but I must confess that I don't get on with them, though some of my colleagues seem to use them successfully.

RE: Anaesthetic protocol for rabbits

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 16:12:45 GMT

Premed/sedate with triple combo (dom/torb/ketamine), local anaesthetic on larynx, intubate and maintain on Isoflurane, occasionally need to mask for a few seconds with Iso before intubating. Works 99.9% of the time can't remember an anesthetic death. Post op meloxicam, and prokinetic if not eating within an hour or so,

RE: Anaesthetic protocol for rabbits

joanne mcallister — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 10:58:54 GMT

we routinely spay and castrate prior to re-homing and recently changed our protocol.

we give 0.15mL/kg buprenorphine s/c and 0.12mL/kg dog metacam s/c. clip ear vein and apply emla cream. 15 minutes later, give 0.08mL/kg domitor and 0.05mL/kg ketamine i/v (mixed in insulin syringe). Then entubate and maintain on isoflurane. Antisedan at the same dose as domitor is given s/c at the end of surgery. I find pain control is good and rabbits wake up well and are eating quickly. we previously used domitor/ketamine/torbugesic s/c and found recovery wasn't as good

RE: Anaesthetic protocol for rabbits

Marie Kubiak — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 21:10:19 GMT

0.1mg/kg medetomidine, 0.5mg/kg midazolam, 0.06mg/kg buprenorphine - all IM for deep sedation, or IV for GA. I like this combination and use it happily in older, frail animals too. Meloxicam 0.5mg/kg for any painful procedures, and replace bupre with methadone if major interventions carried out. Don't use prokinetics routinely, only as part of a plan to manage cases already known to be in stasis alongside other measures,

Marie

RE: Anaesthetic protocol for rabbits

Sarah Keir — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 18:56:48 GMT

I do the same except I give 1/3 the dose IM as a pre-med/sedation then pre-oxygenate while it takes effect then the rest IV through a catheter.

I also try to intubate as many as possible - much smoother anaesthetics and safer for all.

Sarah

RE: Anaesthetic protocol for rabbits

Neil Wheadon — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 16:53:38 GMT

This works really well, from a practice that neuters maybe 6 bunnies a week, no recorded deaths

Premed: 0.1ml/kg Metacam dog & 0.1ml/kg Emeprid, both s/c

IV Anaesthesia: Sedator 0.1ml/kg, Torb 0.03ml/kg, 0.03ml/kg Ketamine (all in the same syringe)

Reverse with 0.05ml/kg Antisedan with i/m

Before GA, clip up right ear vien & apply emla cream.

Maintain on iso/02 via mask - will still need a high flow rate of iso.

You can either catheterise the ear vein or as I do an orange needle. However with the needle clamp your finger over the needle once in the vein and hold tight as it stings as it goes in. I bolus it

Neil