ABSTRACT

This prospective study evaluated oral transmucosal pentobarbital sodium at three doses in 110 wild-caught wild birds requiring euthanasia. Birds received transmucosal pentobarbital at five (430 mg/kg), six (516 mg/kg), and seven times (602 mg/kg) the intravenous dose for mammals. Time to first effects and loss of consciousness, presence of pupillary light and corneal reflexes, apnea, and asystole were recorded each minute. When asystole was not achieved at 5 minutes, IV pentobarbital was administered. Combining data for all doses, loss of consciousness occurred at a median (range) of 2 minutes (0–4.75 min), apnea at 3 minutes (0–6 min), and asystole at 4 minutes (0.5–5 min). Loss of consciousness and apnea occurred significantly faster in the 602 mg/kg dose group than in the 430 mg/kg group (p = 0.009, difference of 0.6 ± 0.2 min; p = 0.024, difference of 0.7 ± 0.3 min), respectively. Apnea and asystole were achieved in 80/110 birds within 5 minutes. Oral transmucosal pentobarbital results in rapid loss of consciousness and respiratory arrest and provides a reliable alternative euthanasia method compared to intravenous administration.

摘要

这项前瞻性研究在 110 只需要安乐死的野外捕获的野生鸟类中评估了三种剂量的口服跨粘膜戊巴比妥钠。鸟类接受经粘膜戊巴比妥注射，剂量为哺乳动物静脉注射剂量的五倍 (430 mg/kg)、六倍 (516 mg/kg) 和七倍 (602 mg/kg)。每分钟记录首次效应和意识丧失的时间、瞳孔光和角膜反射、呼吸暂停和心搏停止的存在。当在 5 分钟时未达到心搏停止时，静脉注射戊巴比妥。结合所有剂量的数据，意识丧失发生在 2 分钟（0-4.75 分钟）的中值（范围），呼吸暂停发生在 3 分钟（0-6 分钟），心搏停止发生在 4 分钟（0.5-5 分钟）。意识丧失和呼吸暂停在 602 mg/kg 剂量组中比在 430 mg/kg 组中发生得更快（p = 0.009，差异为 0.6 ± 0.2 分钟；p = 0.024，分别为 0.7 ± 0.3 分钟）。80/110 只鸡在 5 分钟内出现呼吸暂停和心搏停止。口服经粘膜戊巴比妥会导致意识迅速丧失和呼吸停止，与静脉内给药相比，它提供了一种可靠的替代安乐死方法。