Comparative evaluation of vital parameters in Hares and Rabbits in response to trans-nasal heavy sedation

In wild animals, such as hares, injectable anesthesia is often necessary to conduct clinical as well as management manipulations1. Trans-nasal (TN) administration of some analgesics, sedatives, and anesthetics is an effective and rapid route in rabbits2. Aim of this study was to compare the effects over some physiological variables of TN administration of a mixture of dexmedetomidine (D), midazolam (M) and butorphanol (B) in rabbits and hares. A mixture of 0.1 mg/kg D, 0.4 mg/kg B and 2 mg/kg M was administered TN to 15 healthy NZW Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and 15 adult captive hares (Lepus europaeus) through a feeding tube. Physiological parameters were continuously monitored for 45 min and they included heart and respiratory rate (Hr, Rr), rectal temperature (T°C), pulse-oximetry (SPO2), capnometry (EtCO2), systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure (SAP, DAP, MAP). Since such parameters resulted significantly different between the two species before sedation (data not shown), absolute values were transformed in scores (i.e., the difference between the second and the first time point, and so on). Data were processed by using a MANOVA for repeated measures. Significance was set at P???0.05. The trend of all the variables studied resulted very similar over time and no significant differences were recorded, but for Hr that significantly decreased in hares at T40 (P=0.0237) and T45 (P