Physiologic and blood gas effects of xylazine-ketamine versus xylazine-tiletamine-zolazepam immobilization of white-tailed deer before and after oxygen supplementation: a preliminary study

Objective To compare oxygenation and ventilation in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) anesthetized with two treatments with and without oxygen supplementation. Study design Randomized, blinded, crossover study. Animals A total of eight healthy adult white-tailed deer weighing 49–62 kg. Methods Each deer was anesthetized twice intramuscularly: 1) treatment XK, xylazine (2 mg kg–1) and ketamine (6 mg kg–1) and 2) treatment XTZ, xylazine (2 mg kg–1) and tiletamine–zolazepam (4 mg kg–1). With the deer in sternal position, arterial and venous blood was collected before and at 30 minutes during administration of oxygen at 1 L minute–1 through a face mask. PaO2 and heart rate (HR) were compared using two-way repeated measures anova . pH, PaCO2 and lactate concentration were analyzed using mixed-effects linear models, p Results When breathing air, PaO2 was Conclusions and clinical relevance Treatments XK and XTZ resulted in hypoxemia, which responded to oxygen supplementation. Both treatments are suitable for immobilization of white-tailed deer under the study circumstances.