Anesthesia in female white-tailed deer using Telazol® and xylazine

Abstract

Thirty two free-ranging female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were anesthesized with varying Telazol® and xylazine HCl combinations in Front Royal (Virginia, USA) between August 1992 and September 1992. All animals were caught in baited box traps, manually restrained, and hand injected with a combination of Telazol and xylazine administered intramuscularly. Deer received mean ± SE dosages of 2.53 ± 0.16 mg/kg Telazol and 0.69 ± 0.05 mg/kg of xylazine. These dosages achieved a rapid and effective anesthetic plane for short-term procedures such as weighing, blood collection, and translocation. Eight of 32 deer (25%) required an intravenous (i.v.) supplement of ketamine HCl (100 mg) to maintain a safe plane of anesthesia. Ketamine supplementation provided an average of 11.8 ± 2.0 min additional safe handling. Satisfactory reversals were achieved in all deer by administering yohimbine HCl 16 mg i.v. (dose range, 0.22 to 0.48 mg/kg) to all animals.