Chemical restraint and anesthesia in wildlife

Veterinarians are sometimes asked to anesthetize non-domestic animals. Since physical restraint of wild animals can be dangerous and may result in injury of the personnel or animal, chemical immobilization is the method of choice for most situations. Chemical immobilization of wildlife typically requires remote drug delivery. Remote delivery of injectable anesthetics can be accomplished intramuscularly via pole syringe, blowgun or other power projection systems (pistol and rifle) for short procedures. Generally, inhalation anesthesia is recommended for maintenance of anesthesia. Similar to domestic species, careful monitoring and supportive care are important during anesthesia. The first part of this article focuses on the major principles of wildlife capture, handling and remote drug delivery systems. In the second part, details of the drugs and anesthetic techniques in some wild animal species will be discussed.