for a week.
Good quality lucerne hay was fed exclusively over the SHORT CONTR~BU~ONS
next 2 weeks, and there were no complications.The hind continues
to do well 3 years later.
Discussion
Many different methods of chemical restraint have been used in
different species of deer, with varying degrees of success; variation
being attributed to interspeciesdifferences, differences in the degree
of domestication within species, and differences in administration
technique (Keep 1979).The combination of xylazine with ketamine
has been widely used (English 1988; Hastings eta1 1989).A combi-
nation dose of 1.1 m a g each of ketamine and xylazine was recom-
mended by English (1988). As with xylazine alone, sedation induced
by this combination can be reversed by the IV administrationof the
a2 adrenergic antagonist yohimbine (Jessup et al 1983; Hsu and
Shulaw 1984; English 1984). A dose of 0.125 m a g yohimbine was
used successfully by Hsu and Shulaw (1984) on white tailed deer,
while Mackintosh and Van Reenen (1984) recommended the use of
0.25 m a g in red deer to reverse xylazine induced anaesthesia.
For the second procedure, a combinationof xylazine, fentanyl and
azaperone was chosen, as the procedure was expected to require
longer duration and deeper narcosis. English (1988) recommended
a combination of xylazine, fentanyl citrate and azaperone of 25
mg/mL. 3 mg/mL and 24 mg/mL, respectively. A dose rate of 1.O to
1.2 mUl00 kg of this combination was recommended for red deer.
Reversal of opioid tranquillisers has been achieved with a variety of
narcoticantagonistssuch as diprenorphine,naltrexone,and naloxone
(Haigh 1991).
No reports of colonic intussusception in this deer were found.
Colonic intussusceptionhas been documented in cattle (Blond 1984;
Smith 1985;Serteyn and Mottart 1987)as a relatively rare condition,
possibly related to dietary conditions or to intramural lesions. In this
case, it is possible that prolonged feeding on high concentrate levels
might have contributed to the developmentof the problem, although
other factors could not be ruled out. The procedure for colopexy was
adapted from that described by Johnston (1985) for use in small
animals, in which the condition may be more common.
References
Blond S (1984) Agri-Practice 528
English AW (1988) Diseases of Deer, Vade Mecum Series for Domestic
Animals Series A, No. J I , University of Sydney Post Graduate Foundation
in Veterinary Science, p 28
Haigh JC (1991) IzOo Wild1 Med 22318
Hastings BE, Stadler SG and Kock RA (1989) J Zoo Wild Med Xk427
Hsu WH and Shulaw WP (1984) J A m Vet MedAssoc 1851301
Jessup DA, Clark WE, Gullet PA and Jones K. (1983) I Am Vet Med Assoc
183:1339
Johnston DE (1985) In Textbook ofsmall Animal Surgery, edited by Slatter
DH, Saunders, Philadelphia, vol 1, p 772
Keep N (1979) The Sedation Md Immobiiisatwn of Deer, University of
Sydney Post-graduate Committee in Veterinary Science, Proceedings
No 49, p 21
Mackintosh CG and Van Reenen G (1984) NZ Vet J 32:181
Serteyn D and Mottart E (1987) Agri-Practice 8 3 0
Smith DF (1985) Mod Vet Prac 66:405
(Accepted for publication 19 Junc 1995)
472
The use of isoflurane to anaesthetise
koalas (Phascolurctus cinereus)
Department of Farm Animal Medicine MR McGOWAN
and Production,
The University of Queensland, SD JOHNSTON
Queensland 4072
W ~ o oof
l Veterinary Science, A TRIBE
The UniversityOf Queensiand,
4072
Koala Study Program and Centre for L van HENSBROEK
Conservation Biology, FN CARRICK
The University of Queensland,
Queensland 4072
Frequently veterinarians in eastern Australia are called upon to
examine and treat sick and injured koalas. In the past, koalas have
been anaesthetisedwith injectable and/or gaseous anaestheticagents
(Keep 1978; Tribe and Middleton 1988; D Blyde personal
communication). The characteristicsof the ideal anaestheticinclude:
ease of administration, rapid induction and recovery, and no direct
toxic effects on circulation, respiration, renal and hepatic function
(Steffey 1983). Concerns about the prolonged recovery times after
the use of some injectable anaesthetic agents in koalas (Bush et a1
1990) led to interest in the use of one of the newer volatile
anaesthetics, isoflurane. In a comparative summary of the effects of
halothane, enflurane and isoflurane in domestic animals, Steffey
(1983) highlighted the desirable characteristics of isoflurane. These
included low blood solubility, minimal circulatory depression and
good muscle relaxation.
In January 1991,a study was commenced to explore the application
of artificial breeding techniques in the management of captive koalas.
This study initially focused on the collection (Johnston et a1 1994)
and cryopreservation(Johnston et a1 1993) of semen from anaesthe-
tised koalas. and thus presented an opportunity to evaluate the use of
isoflurane as an anaesthetic in this species.
The koalas available for study were all housed at The University
of Queensland's Veterinary Science Farm, Pinjarra Hills, as part of
the Koala Study Program. Twenty, sexually mature koalas were
anaesthetised for a total of 160 semen collections between
January 1991 and March 1994. At the time of anaesthesia, all
koalas were clinically healthy and in satisfactory body condition
(Ellis and Carrick 1992). The approximate age range of the koalas
was from 3 to 12 years. The koalas were housed singly in enclosures,
which were constructed of galvanised iron and contained 2 centrally
located, forked timber, holding poles with a horizontal connecting
pole. The clinical health of each koala was assessed regularly
throughout the study. This consisted of daily assessment of feeding
behaviour and general clinical appearance, and monthly measure-
ment of body weight and body condition score (Ellis and Carrick
1992).
As intubation is quite difficult in the koala, mask induction and
maintenance of anaesthesia was used. To facilitate anaesthesia, each
koala was placed into a hessian bag and restrained with its head
protruding from the bag. Anaesthesia was induced using a mixture
of oxygen (flow rate: 1 Vmin) and isoflurane' (concentration: 3.5 to
5.0%), administered via a medium sized, rubber, canine anaesthetic
Forthane, Abbot Australasia Pty Ltd, Kurnell, NSW
Australian Veterinary Joumul Vol. 72, No. 12, December 1995
 TABLE 1
Mean heart rate response of koalas (n = 6) to isoflurane
anaesthesia
At At surgical plane At end of At recovery of
induction of anaesthesia anaesthesia consciousness
144.0 f 5.2. 125.2 * 6.3 124.0 * 3.7 147.6 * 5.0
* beatshin * SE
mask connected to either a Flurotect M k I1 or Isotec* vaporizer.
Anaesthesia was maintained using a mixture of oxygen (flow rate:
1 L b n ) and isoflurane (concentration: 1.5 to 3.0%) during the
electroejaculation procedure. The concentration of isoflurane was
adjusted to maintain satisfactorymuscle relaxation. Between January
1991 and January 1992, the isoflurane was delivered via a standard
Flurotect Mk I1 vaporizer using the concentration settings for
halothane. Thereafter, the isoflurane was delivered via an Isoteci
vaporizer. Steffey (1983) has stated that “because the vapour pres-
sure of isofluraneclosely resembles that of halothane,isofluranecan
be delivered by a halothane specifictec-type precision vaporizer with
little error”. However, it is recommended that isoflurane should
wherever possible be administered via an isoflurane specific preci-
sion vaporizer.
To determine mean induction and recovery times for koalas anaes-
thetised with isoflurane, the intervals from application of the mask
to induction of lateral recumbency, and cessation of anaesthesia to
recovery of consciousness (to the stage at which the koala was
able to maintain its position in a forked tree branch) were recorded
(n = 24) between February and November 1991. In 1994, the heart
rate was recorded for 19 electroejaculationprocedures with 6 koalas.
The heart rate was recorded immediately before mask induction,
immediately before the start of electroejaculation (that is, when a
surgical plane of anaesthesia had been obtained), immediately after
she end of anaesthesia and at the stage when completeconsciousness
had been recovered.
This technique of anaesthesiaprovided smooth,rapid induction and
rapid, uneventful recovery of consciousness.The mean (* standard
error) induction and recovery times were 2.1 f 0.9 min and 4.1 f 2.2
min, respectively. Isoflurane anaesthesia resulted in only a small
decrease in heart rate (Table 1).
In the first year of the study (1991) koalas were anaesthetised for
about 20 min. Subsequently, improvements in the technique of
electroejaculation resulted in a reduction of about 50% in the time
individual animals were anaesthetised. Eight male koalas were an-
aesthetised once a month for periods varying between 12 and 33
months. A further 12 koalas were anaesthetised between 1 and 5
times only during the study period. All koalas remained clinically
hsalthy throughout the study period.
This is the first reported use of isoflurane anaesthesiain the koala.
The short induction and recovery times compare favourably with
reports of usage of injectable anaesthetic agents in koalas. Robinson
(1981) reported recovery times of 1.5 to 2 h for koalas anaesthetised
with a combination of ketamine hydrochloride and xylazine. After
induction of anaesthesia using Telazo15a combinationof tiletamhe
HCL and zolazepam HCL, male koalas were fully recovered within
3 to 4 h (Bush et a1 1990). However, D Blyde (personal communi-
cation) has reported a shorter recovery time of about 30 min using a
similar combination of tiletamine HCL and zolazepam HCL
(Zoletil)q,at a dose rate of 5 mgkg administered intramuscularly.
t Flurotec@Mkll vaporiser, Cyprane Ltd, Keighley, England
$ Isotec@vaporiser,Abbot Australasia Pty Ltd, Kurnell. NSW
5 Telazol@,AH Robins Co, Richmond, Virginia 23220 USA
p Zoletil@,Virbac (Australia) Pty Ltd, Peakhurst, NSW
Australian VeterinaryJournal Vol. 12, No. 12, December 1995
D Blyde has premedicated koalas with diazepam (0.5 m a g )
intramuscularly 10 min before mask induction with a combination
of halothane and oxygen. In this study, we considered that premedi-
cation of koalas was unnecessary, and physical restraint in a hessian
bag enabled uneventful mask induction of anaesthesia. Carrick
(unpublished observations) has used mask induction anaesthesia to
successfully anaesthetiseabout 500 wild caught koalas for the pur-
pose of taking physical measurements and blood samples. All
anaesthetised koalas were observed to make complete, uneventful
recoveries after anaesthesia, except one aged, debilitated koala,
which apparently suffered respiratory arrest and died.
This study demonstrates that captive koalas can be readily and
safely anaesthetised with isoflurane. Furthermore koalas may be
repeatedly anaesthetisedwith isoflurane at intervals of about once
a month for at least 12 months without any apparent ill-effects.
The koalas were maintained at the Veterinary Science Farm as part
of the Koala Study Program with the permission of the Queensland
Department of Environment and Heritage. We especially acknow-
ledge the dedicated support of the program’s volunteer carers and
technical advice provided by Mr Bill Reynolds of The University
of Queensland, Department of Companion Animal Medicine and
Surgery.
References
Bush M, Graves JAM, OBrien SJ and Wildt DE (1990) Awr Ver i 67:449
Ellis WAH and Carrick FN (1992). Ausr Ver J 69:229-30
Johnston SD, McGowan MR, Carrick FN and Tribe A (1993) A u t Vet J
70425
Johnston SD, McGowan MR,CarrickFN, CameronRDA and Tribe A (1994)
Thenogemlogy 42: 501-5 11
Keep Jh4 (1978) In Fauna (Part B), University of Sydney Post-graduate
Committeein Veterinary Science, ProceedingsNo 36, p 123
Robinson PT (1981) JZoo Anim Med 12:121
Steffey EP (1983) In Anaesthesia Md Intemive Care, University of Sydney
Post-graduateCommitteein Veterinary Science, Proceedings No 62, p 65
Tribe A and Middleton D (1988) In Australian Wildlife,Universityof Sydney
Post-graduate Committee in Veterinary Science, Proceedings No 104.
p 195
(Acceptedfor publication 29 May 1995)
CORRECTION
Preliminary investigations into the feasibility of freezing
koala (Phuscolarctos cinereus) semen SD Johnston, MR
McGowan, FNCarrick,ATribe (1993)Aust Vet J70:424-425
Please note, that when describingthe procedure for preparingkoala
spermatozoa for dilution prior to freezing, the final concentrationof
glycerol after a 1:l dilution will be half that of the initial
concentration.While this protocol is correctly detailed and indicated
within the materials and methods paragraph of the paper, it is possible
that confusion may arise, when comparing the results of this study
to that of other studies which report only final concentrations of
glycerol used (for example, Rodger et a1 1991: Reproduction
Fertility and Development 3:119-125). Hence, the effective final
glycerol concentrationin the Kievmris-citrateextender is 10to 14%.
It is these figures which should be compared with 17.5% reported
for Trichosurus vulpecula (Rodger et a1 1991) not the 20 to 28%
described.
413