The Anesthetic Effect of Oral Administration of α-Chloroaldose and Dexmedetomidine on Silver Fox

Abstract

In the past, anesthesia was delivered to foxes mostly through intramuscular or subcutaneous injection, which caused substantial stress to the animals, making it necessary to restrain them physically before the procedure. Moreover, research on anesthesia technology for domestic animals has been insufficient. Therefore, in this study, the α-chloroaldose and dexmedetomidine combination was used via oral administration to anesthetize foxes. Ten healthy silver foxes were administered the combination of oral anesthesia, and routine physiological indicators, anesthesia time and effects, and biological reflexes were continuously monitored. The temperature of anesthetized foxes after the administration of oral anesthesia continued to decrease, and by the end of the monitoring, it decreased by 1.3°C.The average SpO2 was 95.3 ± 2.2% during the whole anesthesia period. Changes in the heart rate were significant, initially showing a decreasing trend and then an increasing trend. The anesthesia period showed characteristics of smooth induction, proper maintenance, and rapid recovery. The sedative, analgesic, and muscle relaxant effects were more balanced and provided a good anesthesia effect time of 30 min: corneal, eyelid, and anal biological reflexes persisted and were inhibited at 20~50 min after oral medication, which shows a suitable depth of anesthesia.