Transcript T-61 - Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre

Methods of euthanasia for exotic species in animal shelters in Canada
Niamh Caffrey, Aboubakar Mounchili, Sandra McConkey and Michael S. Cockram
Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island
Introduction
6351
•
Gunshot was used for euthanasia of wildlife in two
establishments.
•
Cervical dislocation was used by one establishment
for euthanasia of birds.
Sodium Pentobarbital
6000
T-61
4932
5000
•
4000
3000
2539
2459
2354
T-61 is a common method of euthanasia used for
all exotic species. All establishments using T-61
used a pre-medication prior to its use.
2273
2000
1000
460
686
213 27
Birds
Small Pet
Mammals
Wildlife
Fish,
Reptiles &
Amphibians
Other
Euthanised
Birds
What methods are used for euthanasia of
exotic species in the shelter environment?
Carbon Dioxide
(CO2)
Carbon Monoxide
(CO)
Other methods
Total
Wildlife
Fish,
Reptiles &
Amphibians
6
12
5
10
4
3
2
1
IV
Sodium Pentobarbital
IC
T-61
IP
5
15
1
1
%
19
57
4
4
No.
9
13
1
2
%
33
48
4
7.5
No.
4
10
1
1
%
18
46
4.5
4.5
No.
7
2
0
0
6
4
2
Sodium Pentobarbital
IV
Other
Sodium Pentobarbital or T-61
T-61
IC
IP
Other
Sodium Pentobarbital or T-61
Fish, Reptiles & Amphibians
Wildlife
Discussion
•
Isoflurane was considered an acceptable method by
staff when used for birds, reptiles and amphibians.
•
Intravenous injection is the only acceptable
method of administration for T-61 due to
questions over the drugs onset of action when
administered by other routes. This
recommendation by the AVMA is recognised by
the CVMA in its policy on euthanasia.
• The manufacturer of T-61 recommends a slow
steady rate of intravenous administration when
used in dogs. This method of administration is
thought to reduce the likelihood of the animal
experiencing respiratory paralysis before it
becomes unconscious.
Conclusions
Many establishments do not use
T-61 according to the
manufacturer’s
recommendations.
The use of veterinary services for
euthanasia was considered as
best practice.
2.5
12
No.
8
0
0
%
58
17
0
0
Number of establishments
Method used for
euthanasia
Sodium
Pentobarbital
T-61
Small Pet
Mammals
Small Pet Mammals
Number of establishments
Intake
In two-thirds of the establishments all or some of
the euthanasia was undertaken on veterinary
premises. The was considered ‘best practice’ by
respondents.
What routes of administration are used for
injectable euthanasia drugs
IV: Intra-venous IP: Intra-peritoneal IC: Intra-cardiac
Birds
A questionnaire was developed and distributed
to 196 organizations following discussions with
the CVMA, the Canadian Federation of
Humane Societies (CFHS) and a number of
veterinarians. Questions included:
• Numbers taken in per year
• Number euthanized per year
• Methods of euthanasia
• Methods of administration of drugs
• The euthanasia environment
•
• The need for access to controlled drugs was an issue
raised by respondents.
0
A prominent issue affecting the choice of
euthanasia method is the availability of
controlled drugs to non-veterinarians
Materials and methods
Isoflurane was used by three establishments for
euthanasia of birds, wildlife, fish, reptiles and
amphibians.
• The use of sodium pentobarbital for euthanasia of
exotic animals was considered to be acceptable
by the respondents to the questionnaire.
Data from 67 establishments that responded to
the questionnaire
7000
•
Number of establishments
Criteria for a euthanasia method1:
• Restraint of the animal should cause
minimal distress.
• The method should induce immediate and
permanent insensibility with minimum
distress to the animal.
• Be aesthetically acceptable to the public and
to the person administering the procedure.
• Be easily administered by non-veterinary
personnel without extensive training.
• Have minimal risks to the person
administering the procedure.
What numbers of different types of animal are
taken into shelters and subsequently
euthanized?
Where was euthanasia carried out?
Number of establishments
The purpose of this study was to:
• Establish what methods of euthanasia are
used for exotic species in Canadian animal
shelters.
• Identify whether these are likely to be
associated with any animal welfare
concerns.
Results
Number of animals/year
When people think about animals
entering a shelter environment they
normally think about dogs and cats,
however many exotic species are also
encountered
Information was collected on birds, small pet
mammals, wildlife, fish, reptiles, amphibians and
an ‘other’ category.
Other Methods
10
8
6
4
16
2
7.5
6
27
3
25
26
100
27
100
22
100
12
100
References
1.5
1Blackmore
DK. Euthanasia - not always eu. Aust
Vet J. 1993;70:409-413.
1
0.5
2
Sodium Pentobarbital
0
0
IV
Sodium Pentobarbital
4
2
IC
T-61
IP
Other
Sodium Pentobarbital or T-61
IV
T-61
IC
IP
Other
Sodium Pentobarbital or T-61
*Other category incorporated combinations of IV, IP ,and IC with the
method of administration depending on the person undertaking the
euthanasia
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Sir James Dunn
Animal Welfare Centre for the financial support for
the project.