Welfare Implications of Low-Dose Atipamezole Reversal of Tiletamine/Zolazepam/Xylazine Anaesthesia in Pigs
Anaesthesia is sometimes required for the effective restraint of laboratory pigs for sample collection. Yet, anaesthesia can initiate a range of physiological disruptions that can increase variability in study data and lead to poorer animal welfare. Judicious use of anaesthesia can mitigate experime...
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2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/258 |
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| author | Rachel Layton David S. Beggs Andrew Fisher Peter Mansell Daniel Layton Peter A. Durr Teegan Allen Grace Taylor Michael L. Kelly David T. Williams Kelly J. Stanger |
| author_facet | Rachel Layton David S. Beggs Andrew Fisher Peter Mansell Daniel Layton Peter A. Durr Teegan Allen Grace Taylor Michael L. Kelly David T. Williams Kelly J. Stanger |
| author_sort | Rachel Layton |
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| description | Anaesthesia is sometimes required for the effective restraint of laboratory pigs for sample collection. Yet, anaesthesia can initiate a range of physiological disruptions that can increase variability in study data and lead to poorer animal welfare. Judicious use of anaesthesia can mitigate experimental, human safety, and animal welfare concerns, but it does not eliminate the potential for adverse effects. The use of reversal agents can shorten recovery time and reduce the physiological impacts of anaesthesia but can also cause additional side effects. We, therefore, trialled the use of low-dose atipamezole (0.12 mg/kg) for the antagonism of xylazine in laboratory pigs anaesthetised using a combination of xylazine and zolazepam/tiletamine. We measured time to recovery, selected clinical variables, recovery characteristics, and behaviours to investigate if a low dose of antagonist decreased recovery time and reduced the physiological impacts of anaesthesia whilst avoiding adverse negative side effects. We categorised side effects and behaviours as having either a low or high negative welfare impact based on the potential risk of injury and whether behaviours were displayed before or after return to consciousness. Collectively, our results indicated that while the use of low-dose atipamezole decreased recovery time and improved thermoregulation in most pigs, it introduced and exacerbated adverse side effects and behaviours that can lead to poorer welfare outcomes for laboratory pigs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-29deeecedf9a4c7aa2cd479e7ce2740b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| spelling | doaj-art-29deeecedf9a4c7aa2cd479e7ce2740b2025-01-24T13:18:19ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-01-0115225810.3390/ani15020258Welfare Implications of Low-Dose Atipamezole Reversal of Tiletamine/Zolazepam/Xylazine Anaesthesia in PigsRachel Layton0David S. Beggs1Andrew Fisher2Peter Mansell3Daniel Layton4Peter A. Durr5Teegan Allen6Grace Taylor7Michael L. Kelly8David T. Williams9Kelly J. Stanger10CSIRO, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219, AustraliaMelbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, AustraliaMelbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, AustraliaMelbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, AustraliaCSIRO, Health and Biosecurity, Geelong, VIC 3219, AustraliaCSIRO, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219, AustraliaCSIRO, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219, AustraliaCSIRO, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219, AustraliaCSIRO, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219, AustraliaCSIRO, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219, AustraliaCSIRO, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219, AustraliaAnaesthesia is sometimes required for the effective restraint of laboratory pigs for sample collection. Yet, anaesthesia can initiate a range of physiological disruptions that can increase variability in study data and lead to poorer animal welfare. Judicious use of anaesthesia can mitigate experimental, human safety, and animal welfare concerns, but it does not eliminate the potential for adverse effects. The use of reversal agents can shorten recovery time and reduce the physiological impacts of anaesthesia but can also cause additional side effects. We, therefore, trialled the use of low-dose atipamezole (0.12 mg/kg) for the antagonism of xylazine in laboratory pigs anaesthetised using a combination of xylazine and zolazepam/tiletamine. We measured time to recovery, selected clinical variables, recovery characteristics, and behaviours to investigate if a low dose of antagonist decreased recovery time and reduced the physiological impacts of anaesthesia whilst avoiding adverse negative side effects. We categorised side effects and behaviours as having either a low or high negative welfare impact based on the potential risk of injury and whether behaviours were displayed before or after return to consciousness. Collectively, our results indicated that while the use of low-dose atipamezole decreased recovery time and improved thermoregulation in most pigs, it introduced and exacerbated adverse side effects and behaviours that can lead to poorer welfare outcomes for laboratory pigs.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/258anaesthesiazoletilbehaviourresearchswine |
| spellingShingle | Rachel Layton David S. Beggs Andrew Fisher Peter Mansell Daniel Layton Peter A. Durr Teegan Allen Grace Taylor Michael L. Kelly David T. Williams Kelly J. Stanger Welfare Implications of Low-Dose Atipamezole Reversal of Tiletamine/Zolazepam/Xylazine Anaesthesia in Pigs Animals anaesthesia zoletil behaviour research swine |
| title | Welfare Implications of Low-Dose Atipamezole Reversal of Tiletamine/Zolazepam/Xylazine Anaesthesia in Pigs |
| title_full | Welfare Implications of Low-Dose Atipamezole Reversal of Tiletamine/Zolazepam/Xylazine Anaesthesia in Pigs |
| title_fullStr | Welfare Implications of Low-Dose Atipamezole Reversal of Tiletamine/Zolazepam/Xylazine Anaesthesia in Pigs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Welfare Implications of Low-Dose Atipamezole Reversal of Tiletamine/Zolazepam/Xylazine Anaesthesia in Pigs |
| title_short | Welfare Implications of Low-Dose Atipamezole Reversal of Tiletamine/Zolazepam/Xylazine Anaesthesia in Pigs |
| title_sort | welfare implications of low dose atipamezole reversal of tiletamine zolazepam xylazine anaesthesia in pigs |
| topic | anaesthesia zoletil behaviour research swine |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/258 |
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