Compared to etorphine-azaperone, the ketamine-butorphanol-medetomidine combination is also effective at immobilizing zebra (Equus zebra).

To compare immobilization efficacy of a nonpotent opioid drug combination, ketamine-butorphanol-medetomidine (KBM) to the preferred etorphine-azaperone (EA) combination in zebras. Randomized crossover trial. A group of ten adult zebra (six females and four male). KBM and EA were administered once to the zebras in random order by dart, 3 weeks apart. Once a zebra was recumbent and instrumented, physiological parameters were measured and recorded at 5-minute intervals until 20 minutes. Antagonist drugs were administered at 25 minutes. KBM was antagonised using atipamezole (7.5 mg mg The doses of KBM and EA administered were 3.30 ± 0.18, 0.40 ± 0.02 and 0.16 ± 0.01 mg kg Compared to EA, KBM also immobilized zebras effectively. Systemic hypertension and moderate hypoxaemia are clinical concerns of KBM and severe hypoxaemia is a concern of EA. This occurrence of hypoxaemia highlights the importance of oxygen administration during immobilization.

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