[ Post a Response | Zebra Mania Message Board ]
Posted by Sammi Jo
on 4/22/2009, 2:13 pm, in reply to "Clarification"
69.19.14.40
As far as the sedation method, if a dart gun is used properly, it can be very low stress on the animal. You don't want to get the animal's adrenaline up and then resort to a dart gun. It is best to use it when the animal is calm and preferrably from somewhere you are not likely to be seen from. The gun is quiet, and the darts are designed to fall out once the drug is administered. These guns can be very accurate, helping to ensure proper placement of the dart and come with practice darts. I have seen zebras and exotic deer darted with a gun and found that the animal gave a small jump, then continued whatever it was doing. On the other hand, I have seen vets struggle with a horse, often causing injury and stress to the animal and people involved trying to sedate the horse.
I have worked closely with nearly a dozen different vets with my zebras and zebras I have worked with and found that every one of them did their homework before sedating or any other routine work. It falls to the zebra owner to help the vet by 1. talking to their vet in advance, before an emergency occurs to formulate a plan of action 2. research vets and facilities for your vet to contact for references and 3. to know and have on file drugs which can and cannot be used as well as drugs that have been used successfully on your zebras.
Joyce, I did not mean any of my coments to be directed at you, I am simply joining the conversation and stating my opinion. Please do not take my coments as personal criticism.
--Sammi Jo
Message Thread:
« Back to thread
( Message Board first page) zebramania webscribe