Want to Learn More About Bullfrogs?

EFFECTS OF INTRAMUSCULAR ALFAXALONE AND DEXMEDETOMIDINE IN BULLFROGS (LITHOBATES CATESBEIANA)

Stephanie Thi1; veterinary student

Stefanie Golden1, Julie Balko1 ,  Kate Bailey1

1North Carolina State University- College of Veterinary Medicine

Amphibians are common in the field, zoos, museums, and research. It is necessary for them to undergo handling, restraint, and medical care that cause stress, impacting their welfare.  

There is little information available regarding anesthetic drugs for amphibians. Previous studies show alfaxalone to be a fast acting and effective drug for immobilization in frogs, though subjects did not reach a sufficient level of anesthesia for surgery1. Dexmedetomidine has been shown to prevent nociception in frogs, though they maintained consciousness2. We hypothesized that alfaxalone in combination with dexmedetomidine would produce a safe and efficacious method of immobilization in bullfrogs.

Three trials were conducted with 10 bullfrogs, with one week washout period in between. Frogs were administered either intramuscular (IM) 12 mg/kg alfaxalone alone, 1 mg/kg IM dexmedetomidine alone, or alfaxalone and dexmedetomidine in combination. Any trial containing dexmedetomidine included 0.1 mg/kg atipamezole reversal IM at 2 hours of observation, and hourly after if clinical signs persisted. Respiratory rate, heart rate, sedation score, and response to insertion of a needle into a hind leg muscle were evaluated every 15 minutes from induction to recovery.

One frog did not recover from anesthesia (9/10 frogs survived). Alfaxalone alone caused immobilization in bullfrogs, but inconsistent responses to needle insertion. Dexmedetomidine IM alone did not produce noticeable effects. Dexmedetomidine combined with alfaxalone caused immobilization of longer duration with reduced response to needle insertion when compared to alfaxalone alone. Therefore, the combination of these two drugs might provide effective anesthesia. 

Category: Anesthesiology/Clinical Medicine

Funding: Bailey Start Up Funds

References

1. LP Posner, KM Bailey, EY Richardson, AA Motsinger-Reif, CA Harms 2013. Alfaxalone Anesthesia in Bullfrogs (Lithobates Catesbeiana) By Injection or Immersion. J. of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 44(4): 965-971. NCSU Libraries. 
2. GM Brenner, AJ Klopp, LL Deason, and CW Stevens 1994. Analgesic potency of alpha adrenergic agents after systemic administration in amphibians. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 270(2):540-545. NCSU Libraries.
   

Gular Reflex

Recording heart rate with Doppler

25 gauge needle used to assess response to noxious stimuli

Bullfrog regaining righting reflex

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Lori Sampsell from Ross University shared some pretty adorable photos of her cat!

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Adventure Kitty in Training

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Learning More About Production Medicine

Learn more about the experience that Nicholas Shen (Lincoln Memorial University) had this summer learning about production medicine!

This summer I enrolled in Kansas State University’s Advanced Cow- Calf and Feedlot Rotations, taught by national thought leaders of beef cattle veterinarians in the U.S. I also had learned a lot at Lincoln Memorial University’s large animal ambulatory rotation where I began my veterinary school journey with three years ago.

I also had an opportunity to attend the Veterinary Agri-Health Services (VAHS) Advanced Beef Production Medicine Rotation at their facilities. The expe­riences I gained were invaluable to me as I learned how to provide value as a beef cattle veterinarian, in and outside of traditional veterinary services.

The most memorable lesson was from a Canadian rancher, Stephen Hughes, in Longview, Alberta. At Chinook Ranch, Mr. Hughes has been grazing his cattle 12 months out of the year for over 20 years, despite the Canadian snowfalls in the winter. He does this through his sustainable range management practices, which continue to improve the land’s native and tame grasses.

Due to his strategic grass manage­ment, his cattle have plenty of nutri­tion the entire year, move constantly to fresh pastures, which decreases chances of illnesses that require anti­biotic treatment. The environment and wildlife populations are taken care of, and any invasive weeds are managed without using herbicides.

In the summer, Mr. Hughes moves his cattle herd to a new pasture every 48 hours, allowing the grass from the previous pasture to rest and regrow. This method keeps the grass in its veg­etative state, and allows for a higher nutrient content in these grasses going into the fall and winter, which can then be grazed through the snow in the winter months, just like how the bison had thrived on this land many years before.

The lesson learned was not only how to graze cattle through the winter months without putting up hay, but to do this, it is important to go into the winter with at least 8" of grass that was frozen in its vegetative state, increasing the quality of grass to sus­tain the cattle through winter grazing.

Mr. Hughes also said the greatest factor in rotational grazing is not about getting the correct number of cows to prevent over grazing. It is about determining the correct amount of time you allow your herd to graze. 

Going forward, I can see this experience helping me to provide value to producers to help decrease their winter feed costs by increasing the number of months the cattle can graze during the year.

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Can you relate? I know we are all a few weeks into the semester, so keep on pushing through!

Thank you, Meghan Mathews from the University of Illinois, for capturing exactly how vet students feel sometimes!

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Thank you, Carinne Ramirez from Lincoln Memorial University, for sharing these beautiful photographs.

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