IMMOBILIZATION OF FREE-RANGING HOFFMANN’S TWO-TOED (Choloepus

hoffmanni) AND BROWN-THROATED THREE-TOED (Bradypus variegatus) SLOTHS

USING MEDETOMIDINE-KETAMINE: A COMPARISON OF PHYSIOLOGIC
PARAMETERS

Christopher S. Hanley, DVM,1,2* Joanna Siudak-Campfield, MSc,1,2 Joanne Paul-Murphy,

DVM, Dipl ACZM,1,2 Christopher Vaughan, PhD,3,4 Oscar Ramirez, MSc,4 and Kurt K.
Sladky, MS, DVM, Dipl ACZM1,2
1
Special Species Health Service, Department of Surgical Science, University of Wisconsin,
School of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA; 2Conservation
Health Consortium, University of Wisconsin, School of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 Linden
Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA; 3Department of Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin,
Linden Lane, Madison, WI 53706 USA; 4International Institute for Wildlife Conservation and
Management, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica

Abstract

Recent literature has confirmed the safety and efficacy of ketamine and medetomidine (KM)
combinations for immobilizing a variety of captive and free-ranging nondomestic species.1-3
Physiologic effects of KM include rapid induction/recovery, excellent muscle relaxation,
peripheral vasoconstriction, initial hypertension, bradycardia, and bradypnea. While this drug
combination has been evaluated in free-ranging two-toed sloths,1 there are no published data
evaluating the efficacy of KM in three-toed sloths. The objectives of this study were to evaluate
the safety and efficacy of KM in free-ranging two- and three-toed sloths in Costa Rica, and to
compare physiologic parameters across species and gender.

Free-ranging Hoffmann’s toe-toed (Choloepus hoffmanni) (n=26) and brown-throated three-toed

sloths (Bradypus variegatus) (n=15) were manually captured and immobilized using ketamine
(2.5 mg/kg) and medetomidine (0.02 mg/kg) administered intramuscularly. Approximately 10ten
min after injection, each sloth was examined, and blood, fecal, and ectoparasite samples
collected. The following physiologic parameters were monitored every 5 min for the duration of
anesthesia; pulse rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, indirect systolic blood pressure, and
indirect peripheral oxygenation. After 45 min, atipamezole (0.1 mg/kg) was administered i.m. to
facilitate recovery. All sloths recovered uneventfully.

Physiologic parameters were compared across time, gender, and species. All sloths demonstrated
a significant time-dependent decrease in pulse rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure.
Peripheral oxygenation remained similar over time for all sloths. Significant species differences
were evident in respiratory rate (Choloepus > Bradypus) and blood pressure (Bradypus >
Choloepus). Pulse rate showed a significant interaction between species and gender, such that
Bradypus males and both Choloepus genders had greater pulse rates than Bradypus females.
Gender differences were significant for body temperature (males > females), and blood pressure
(males > females).

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Results of this study suggest that KM is a safe and effective anesthetic combination in free-
ranging two- and three-toed sloths.

LITERATURE CITED

1. Vogel, I., B. de Thoisy, and J.-C. Vie. 1998. Comparison of injectable anesthetic combinations in free-ranging
two-toed sloths in French Guiana. J. Wildl. Dis. 34:555-566.
2. Sladky, K. K., B. T. Kelly, M. R. Loomis, M. K. Stoskopf, and W. A. Horne. 2000. Cardiorespiratory effects of
four alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist-ketamine combinations in captive red wolves. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc.
217:1366-1371.
3. Chittick, E., W. Horne, B. Wolfe, K. Sladky, and M. Loomis. 2001. Cardiopulmonary assessment of
medetomidine, ketamine, and butorphanol anesthesia in captive Thomson’s gazelles (Gazella thomsoni). J. Zoo
Wildl. Med. 32:168-175.

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