Kurt K Sladky

University of Wisconsin–Madison | UW · Department of Surgical Sciences

The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of two orally administered doses of tramadol (1 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg) and its metabolite, O-desmethyltramadol (M1) in giant tortoises (Chelonoidis vandenburghi, Chelonoidis vicina). Eleven giant tortoises (C. vandenburghi, C. vicina) received two randomly assigned, oral doses of tramado...

Snakes are common household pets and frequently managed in zoos. Geriatric snakes commonly develop osteoarthritis, leading to a declining quality of life that often results in euthanasia. Anecdotally, the application of transdermal fentanyl patches (TFP) appears to contribute to clinical improvement, including increased activity level, in osteoarth...

OBJECTIVE To determine the survival to discharge rate of rabbits with gastrointestinal obstructions treated with lidocaine constant rate infusion (CRI) and other factors associated with survival. ANIMALS Cases of gastrointestinal obstruction in rabbits (n = 56, including 64 events) that had presented to a veterinary teaching hospital from 2012 to...

This chapter provides an overview of our current understanding of clinical analgesic use in reptiles. Currently, μ-opioid agonist drugs are the standard of care for analgesia in reptiles. Reptile pain is no longer considered a necessary part of recovery to keep the reptile from becoming active too early. Rather, treating pain allows for the reptile...

This chapter provides an overview of our current understanding of clinical analgesic use in fish. Recently, the efficacy and pharmacokinetics of several analgesic drugs for use in fish have been investigated, and the most important data indicates that μ-opioid agonist drugs (e.g, morphine) are consistently effective as analgesics across fish specie...

Background Marijuana toxicity in pets has become more commonly reported due to increased exposure in the United States, however, it has not been previously reported in lagomorphs. Case description A 3-month-old, male, intact mini rex rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was evaluated on an emergency basis for a seizure-like episode. Significant abnormal...

Published data are sparse regarding the recognition of clinically relevant pain and appropriate analgesia in amphibians. The amphibian analgesia literature has primarily focused on nociceptive pathways in a single species, the northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens). The objective of the current study was to assess the analgesic efficacy and safety of...

Determining the clinical efficacy of analgesic drugs in amphibians can be particularly challenging. The current studyinvestigated whether a thermal nociceptive stimulus is useful for the evaluation of analgesic drugs in 2 amphibian species.The objectives of this study were 2-fold: 1) compare 2 models of nociception (thermal and mechanical) using 2...

In evaluating reptile and amphibian emergencies, collecting a comprehensive history allows for proper care of the patient by focusing diagnostic and treatment decisions. Husbandry plays an important role in herptile health and obtaining specific information on housing, diet, and other elements of a patient's care can help reveal underlying medical...

Knowledge of effective and safe sedation, anesthesia, and analgesia protocols is essential in order to provide the appropriate emergency care for reptile and amphibian patients. However, due to the large number of reptile and amphibian species presented to veterinarians, extrapolation is frequently performed, which may not lead to the desired resul...

Cardiopulmonary‐cerebral resuscitation (CPCR) provides a means to reestablish patient spontaneous breathing and circulation. Quick assessment of the critical patient is crucial and the approach to securing an airway and intravascular access can vary depending on the species and size of the animal. Euthanasia is commonly performed in reptiles and am...

Knowledge of handling and restraint techniques is essential for working with amphibian and reptile patients in order to prevent undue animal stress and, potentially, significant injury to the handler. Restraint is required for obtaining the physical examination, biologic sample collection, and/or diagnostics. This chapter provides guidance on herpt...

Thymomas are diagnosed with relative frequency in the pet rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus). There is currently limited knowledge about treatment and survival times for rabbits affected by this neoplasm. The goals of this study were to evaluate the survival times of rabbits with highly suspected or confirmed thymoma undergoing different tr...

Objective: To determine an optimal ceftazidime dosing strategy in Northern leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens) by evaluation of 2 different doses administered SC and 1 dose administered transcutaneously. Animals: 44 Northern leopard frogs (including 10 that were replaced). Procedures: Ceftazidime was administered to frogs SC in a forelimb at 20...

A simple high‐performance liquid chromatography method for the determination of ceftazidime in plasma has been developed. Using an ultrafiltration technique samples were separated by reverse‐phase high performance liquid chromatography on a Symmetry C18 4.6 x 250 mm column (5.0 μm) and ultraviolet absorbance was measured at 260 nm. The mobile phase...

Blue poison dart frogs (Dendrobates tinctorius azureus) are commonly found in zoological institutions and are becoming popular in the pet trade. Sedation or light anesthesia is required for safe and effective handling of this species. In this study, the effect of subcutaneous administration of alfaxalone at two different doses (20 and 30 mg/kg) was...

An 18-yr-old female orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus) developed opisthotonus after sustaining conspecific bite wounds 3 wk earlier. The orangutan developed progressive tetraparesis and dysphagia, despite normal mentation, suggestive of tetanus. A tetanus vaccine had been administered at 2 yr of age, but none since. Brain magnetic resonance imagin...

(In Press, 12 Jan 2021, Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery) Frogs are popular exotic pets and research subjects. Manual restraint is routinely used for basic procedures in frogs, including examination and sample collection, but there is little information on its physiologic effects in amphibians. Previous literature suggested that amphi...

Objective: To determine the effects of dexmedetomidine, doxapram, and dexmedetomidine plus doxapram on ventilation ([Formula: see text]e), breath frequency, and tidal volume (Vt) in ball pythons (Python regius) and of doxapram on the thermal antinociceptive efficacy of dexmedetomidine. Animals: 14 ball pythons. Procedures: Respiratory effects...

Background: Sodium chloride intoxication is commonly described in mammals, but there are no clinical reports of sodium chloride intoxication in a pet domestic rabbit. Case description: A pet domestic rabbit was presented for an acute onset of seizure-like activity, ataxia, vestibular-associated rolling, and obtunded mentation. The result of a compu...

Tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) is a bath anesthetic agent commonly used in amphibians, but few studies have demonstrated its efficacy in a wide variety of anuran species. In this study, White's tree frogs (Litoria caerulea; n = 9) were used in a blinded, randomized, complete cross-over study to assess the anesthetic effects of two MS-222 concen...

Objective: To evaluate SC administration of alfaxalone-midazolam and dexmedetomidine-midazolam for sedation of ball pythons (Python regius). Animals: 12 healthy juvenile ball pythons. Procedures: In a randomized crossover study, each snake was administered a combination of alfaxalone (5 mg/kg [2.3 mg/lb]) and midazolam (0.5 mg/kg [0.23 mg/lb])...

Blue poison dart frogs (Dendrobates tinctorius azureus) are commonly maintained in zoological institutions and are becoming popular in the pet trade industry. Sedation or light anesthesia is required for safe and effective handling of this species. In this study, the sedative effects of subcutaneously administered alfaxalone-midazolam-dexmedetomidi...

Objective: To determine pharmacokinetic dosing strategy in bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) and red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) based on two subcutaneously (SC) administered doses of hydromorphone (0.5 and 1.0 mg kg ⁻¹ ). Study design: Randomized crossover study. Animals: Six healthy adult bearded dragons, seven healthy adult red-ea...

accepted manuscript, JAVMA.

Iodine is an essential micronutrient for elasmobranchs in order to prevent goiter. Preventing goiter requires bioavailable iodide: either oral iodide or maintaining adequate aquarium water iodide concentrations. The objective of this study was to determine how oral and water supplementation affected iodine (I2) and iodide (I-) concentrations in art...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the sedative effects of a combination of dexmedetomidine and ketamine differed when it was administered IM in a hind limb versus a forelimb of leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius). DESIGN Randomized crossover study. ANIMALS 9 healthy adult leopard geckos. PROCEDURES Each gecko received a combination of dexmedetomidi...

Objectives: To evaluate the sedative and cardiorespiratory effects of alfaxalone in ball pythons following subcutaneous administration in the cranial versus caudal third of the body. Materials and Methods: In a prospective, randomised, blinded, complete crossover study, eight ball pythons (Python regius) received alfaxalone in the cranial or cauda...

A simple high-performance liquid chromatography method for the determination of hydromorphone in small volume plasma has been developed. Following solid phase extraction using Oasis HLB cartridges, samples were separated by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography on an Atlantis T3 4.6 x 150 mm column (3.0 μm) and quantified using mass...

The application of safe and effective anesthetic techniques is essential for clinical veterinarians. Anesthetizing aquatic species, both with and without gills, presents a paradigm shift with respect to the methods and thought processes used when considering terrestrial animal anesthesia. Chemical restraint and anesthestic methods are commonly used...

OBJECTIVE To determine antinociceptive efficacy, behavioral patterns, and respiratory effects associated with dexmedetomidine administration in ball pythons ( Python regius ). ANIMALS 12 ball pythons. PROCEDURES Antinociception was assessed by applying an infrared heat stimulus to the cranioventral surface of snakes during 2 experiments. Thermal wi...

CASE DESCRIPTION A 14-year-old 4.1-kg (9.02-lb) male harpy eagle ( Harpia harpyja ) was evaluated because of vomiting, anorexia, lethargy, and weight loss (decrease of 0.35 kg [0.77 lb]) of 4 weeks' duration. The bird had previously been treated orally with fenbendazole after the initial onset of clinical signs. CLINICAL FINDINGS An initial CBC rev...

A 14-year-old 4.1 kg (9.02 lb) male harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) was referred to the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine for medical evaluation after a 4-week period of lethargy, hyporexia, and weight loss (decrease of 0.35 kg [0.77 lb]; loss of 7.9% of its normal weight). The owner described the eagle as having a normal i...

CASE DESCRIPTION A 5-year-old sexually intact female guinea pig was evaluated because of mild dysuria and a subcutaneous mass located cranioventral to the urogenital openings. CLINICAL FINDINGS Non–contrast-enhanced CT and surgical exploration of the distal aspect of the urethra revealed a urethral diverticulum with an intraluminal urolith. Analysi...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the antinociceptive efficacy of IM morphine sulfate or butorphanol tartrate administration in tegus ( Salvator merianae ). ANIMALS 6 healthy juvenile (12- to 24-month-old) tegus (mean ± SD body weight, 1,484 ± 473 g). PROCEDURES In a crossover study design, tegus were randomly assigned to treatment order, with a minimum washou...

OBJECTIVE To quantify plasma fentanyl concentrations (PFCs) and evaluate antinociceptive and respiratory effects following application of transdermal fentanyl patches (TFPs) and assess cerebrospinal μ-opioid receptor mRNA expression in ball pythons (compared with findings in turtles). ANIMALS 44 ball pythons ( Python regius ) and 10 turtles ( Trach...

Ocular diseases reported in frogs include uveitis and glaucoma, which are associated with changes in intraocular pressure (IOP). The objectives of this study were to characterize the normal IOP for White's tree frogs (Litoria caerulea) using two types of rebound tonometers, and to assess whether time of day or method of restraint affected IOP. Eigh...

Objective: To compare dexmedetomidine-midazolam with alfaxalone-midazolam for sedation in leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius). Study design: Prospective, randomized, blinded, complete crossover study. Animals: Nine healthy adult leopard geckos. Methods: Geckos were administered a combination of dexmedetomidine (0.1 mg kg(-1)) and midazol...

Although our understanding of reptile analgesia continues to develop, μ-opioid receptor agonists are currently the most effective analgesics in a variety of reptile species. Fentanyl, a potent, short-acting, μ- and δ-opioid receptor agonist, is formulated for use as a transdermal therapeutic system (TTS) and was shown to be absorbed across the skin...

An approximately 6-year-old intact male guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) was presented for a 5 to 6-day history of an enlarged left testicle. Physical examination revealed a firm mass, roughly 5 cm in diameter, encompassing the region of the left testicle. All other organ systems appeared unremarkable. Routine bilateral orchiectomy was performed, and t...

While our understanding of reptile analgesia continues to develop, µ-opioid receptor agonists are currently the most effective analgesics in a variety of reptile species. Fentanyl, a potent, short-acting, µ- and δ- opioid receptor agonist, is formulated for use as a transdermal therapeutic system (TTS), and was shown to be absorbed across the skin...

We screened for antibodies to 16 arboviruses in four populations of free-ranging sloths in Costa Rica. Blood samples were taken from 16 Hoffman's two-toed sloths (HTSs; Choloepus hoffmanni ) and 26 brown-throated sloths (BTSs; Bradypus variegatus ) over a 3-yr period. We used serologic assays to detect antibodies against 10 arboviruses previously d...

A 20-year-old, female Catalina macaw (Ara ararauna × Ara macao ) was presented with bilateral uveitis and hyphema. The hyphema initially improved with 0.12% prednisolone acetate ophthalmic drops (1 drop OU q4h for 7 days), but the hyphema recurred after the drops were tapered. The bird subsequently developed inappetance, weight loss, regurgitation,...

An 8-year-old, female convict cichlid (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) was presented to the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital with a two month history of abnormal buoyancy; the fish spent most of its time in lateral recumbency on the aquarium substrate. During the initial visual examination of the patient in its transport aqua...

An approximately 5-year-old female grey-headed parrot (Poicephalus fuscicollis suahelicus) was evaluated after exposure to outdoor temperatures below -20°C (-4°F) for approximately 22 hours. Severe frostbite affecting multiple digits, as well as dehydration and a depressed attitude, were diagnosed. Treatment included oral antibiotics, antifungals,...

Fish surgical procedures are commonplace in aquaria, zoos, laboratory facilities, and pet clinical practice. To incorporate fish surgery into a clinical setting, an understanding of anatomic differences between mammals and fish, bath anesthetics, and recirculating anesthesia techniques must be developed; a system or different size systems to accomm...

Small mammal surgical procedures are a part of clinical veterinary practice and are performed with regularity. Anesthetic and analgesic techniques are important components of any successful small mammal surgical procedure. Many basic surgical principles used in dogs and cats can be directly applied to small mammals, but tissues tend to be smaller a...

Inland bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps, n = 6) were anesthetized for 1 hr using isoflurane in either 100% oxygen or 21% oxygen (FI 21; medical-grade room air). Parameters of anesthetic depth were recorded throughout both induction and recovery by an observer blinded to the fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), including the loss and return of withd...

A 2-yr-old female red wolf ( Canis rufus gregoryi) sustained a degloving injury to the left thoracic limb while in a display habitat. Initial attempts to resolve the extensive wound by using conservative measures were unsuccessful. Subsequent treatment using a free skin graft consisted first of establishment of an adequate granulation bed via corti...

The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of two orally administered doses of tramadol (5 and 10 mg/kg) and its major metabolite (O-desmethyltramadol) (M1) in loggerhead sea turtles ( Caretta caretta ). After oral administration, the half-life of tramadol administered at 5 and 10 mg/kg was 20.35 and 22.67 hr, whereas the hal...

Objective: To compare pharmacokinetics after a single IM or SC injection of ceftiofur crystalline-free acid (CCFA) to bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps). Animals: 8 adult male bearded dragons. Procedures: In a preliminary experiment, doses of 15 and 30 mg/kg, SC, were compared in 2 animals, and 30 mg/kg resulted in a more desirable pharmacokin...

A 34-month-old male, neutered ferret was referred to University of Wisconsin – Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital Special Species Health Service with a 6 week history of dyspnea, coughing, lethargy, and weight loss. The patient was not responding to antibiotic therapy and his condition was deteriorating. When presented to the teaching hospital, t...

Objective To evaluate feasibility and accuracy of intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement by rebound tonometry in adult red-eared slider turtles and determine the effects of manual and chemical restraint on IOP. Animal studiedSeventeen adult red-eared slider turtles. ProceduresIntraocular pressure was measured with TonoLab® and TonoVet® tonometers i...

Surveillance of Wildlife Diseases: Lessons from the West Nile Virus Outbreak, Page 1 of 2 Abstract In 1998, before the West Nile virus (WNV), monkeypox, and severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreaks, Childs et al. ( 1 ) made the prescient observation that “multidisciplinary teams of ecologists, mammalogists, ornithologists, and entomologists, a...

Objective: To determine the effects of body position and extension of the neck and ex- tremities on CT measurements of ventilated lung volume in red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans). Design: Prospective crossover-design study. Animals: 14 adult red-eared slider turtles. Procedures: CT was performed on turtles in horizontal ventral r...

Objective: To identify pain-related behaviors and assess the effects of butorphanol tartrate and morphine sulfate in koi (Cyprinus carpio) undergoing unilateral gonadectomy. Design-Prospective study. Animals: 90 adult male and female koi. Procedures: Each fish received saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (which is physiologically compatible with fish)...

Dexmedetomidine, a highly selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonist and dextrorotary enantiomer of medetomidine, was combined with ketamine and used to immobilize 14 free-ranging Choloepus hoffmanni (Hoffmann's two-toed sloths) and 11 Bradypus variegatus (brown-throated three-toed sloths) in Upala, Costa Rica. Following intramuscular injection of ketami...

Case description: A 13-year-old female Timneh African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus timneh) was evaluated because of the presence of a bald patch of skin caudal to the sternum and increased territorial and nesting behavior of 2 weeks' duration. Clinical findings: Whole-body radiography revealed a mineralized egg of normal size and shape. Howe...

A Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) was presented to the veterinary clinic at the North Carolina Zoological Park for evaluation of acute weakness of the right wing. Results of a physical examination revealed a lack of a palpable pulse in the radial artery, which suggested occlusion or obstruction of the vessel. Radiography, thermography,...

Despite the frequent clinical use of buprenorphine in reptiles, its antinociceptive efficacy is not known. In a randomized, complete cross-over study, the antinociceptive efficacy of buprenorphine (0.2 mg/kg s.c.) was compared with hydromorphone (0.5 mg/kg s.c.), and saline (0.9% s.c. equivalent volume) in 11 healthy red-eared slider turtles (Trach...

Administration of intranasal midazolam (2 mg/kg) was evaluated for sedation and effects on cloacal temperature, respiratory rate, and heart rate in manually restrained Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis). Adult parrots (n=9) were administered either midazolam (2 mg/kg) or an equal volume of saline solution intranasally before a 15-minute...

3 female African spurred tortoises (Geochelone sulcata) of various body weights (0.22, 0.77, and 2.86 kg [0.48, 1.69, and 6.29 lb]) were examined because of reduced food intake and lack of fecal output. Owners reported intermittent tenesmus in 2 of the tortoises. Physical examinations revealed no clinically important abnormalities in the tortoises....

Reptile pain and analgesia is only beginning to be understood in veterinary research and clinical medicine. The diversity of the class Reptilia also makes it difficult to extrapolate analgesic efficacy across species. Many veterinary clinicians argue that the administration of analgesic medication is risky to the patient and may mask behavioral sig...

A 2-year-old castrated male Holland lop rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was presented for loss of hind limb motor function after leaping from the owner's arms. Results of a neurologic examination revealed appropriate mentation, normal thoracic limb posture and gait, paralysis in the right pelvic limb, and voluntary movement of the left pelvic limb....

The clinical use of anesthetic agents in reptiles presents a number of unique challenges because of the diversity of the class Reptilia with respect to natural history, size, anatomy, and physiology. Reptiles are commonly maintained as companion animals, widely displayed in zoological institutions, and many species serve as subjects in laboratory f...

Three mature, female, red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans) were individually, and separately, diagnosed with different forms of oviductal disease. Case 1 presented with acute cloacal bleeding and was diagnosed with acute oviductal rupture and ectopic eggs in the coelom. Case 2 presented for repeated scratching in the direction of th...

Disseminated infection with Histoplasma capsulatum was diagnosed in a 7-yr-old female Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris). Clinical signs were nonspecific with the exception of brief periods of tachypnea for 5 days prior to death. H. capsulatum organisms were found in the lungs, tracheobronchial lymph nodes, and liver. Diagnosis was confirmed by trachea...

A 37-year-old female yellow-headed Amazon parrot (Amazona ochrocephala oratrix) was presented after a 4-month-period behavior change and intermittent episodes of obtunded mentation. Clinical findings on physical examination included ataxia, a weak grasp, and reluctance to move. Results of magnetic resonance imaging were consistent with severe hydro...

Twenty-three lizards were captured for this study, both males and females (12 males, 10 females, 1 undetermined), with a large range in body weights (40-286 g) appeared to be healthy based on activity level, physical examinations, and body condition scores. Heparinized blood samples from 20 free-ranging basilisk lizards (Basiliscus plumifrons) in C...

Pain and analgesia are poorly understood in reptiles, which are commonly maintained in zoological institutions and as laboratory and companion animals. Thus, we developed a behavioral ethogram to evaluate pre-operative and post-operative responses to a thermal stimulus, feeding, movement, and breathing in red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta...

To determine the dose- and time-dependent changes in analgesia and respiration caused by tramadol administration in red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta). Crossover study. 30 adult male and female red-eared slider turtles. 11 turtles received tramadol at various doses (1, 5, 10, or 25 mg/kg [0.45, 2.27, 4.54, or 11.36 mg/lb], PO; 10 or 25 mg...

A case of proventricular dilatation disease is described in a scarlet macaw (Ara macao) from clinical presentation to diagnosis with molecular methods. The initial clinical signs were depression progressing to head pressing over several days. A leukocytosis with toxic heterophil changes, hypoalbuminemia, and increased serum activity of aspartate am...

Objective —To evaluate serial blood gas values and lactate concentrations in 3 fish species undergoing surgery and to compare blood lactate concentrations between fish that survived and those that died during the short-term postoperative period. Design —Prospective cohort study. Animals —10 yellow perch, 5 walleye pike, and 8 koi. Procedures —Blood...

Pulmonary carcinoma was diagnosed in an 18+-year-old captive female great horned owl (Bubo virginianus). The owl presented with a history of progressive weakness and sudden onset of frank blood in the droppings. On physical examination, the owl had multiple white to yellow plaques in the oral cavity, decreased air sac sounds on the right side, dysp...

Objective —To evaluate the analgesic efficacy of meloxicam in parrots with experimentally induced arthritis, with extent of weight bearing and rotational perch walking used as outcome measures. Animals —15 adult Hispaniolan parrots ( Amazona ventralis ). Procedures —Arthritis was experimentally induced via intra-articular injection of microcrystall...

To determine the effects of mu-, delta-, and kappa-opioid receptor (MOR, DOR, and KOR, respectively) activation on thermal antinociception in red-eared slider turtles Trachemys scripta. 51 adult turtles. Infrared heat stimuli were applied to the plantar surface of turtle hind limbs. Thermal hind limb withdrawal latencies (HLWLs) were measured befor...

To evaluate the microcrystalline sodium urate (MSU) method for inducing arthritis in parrots and to compare the analgesic efficacy of long-acting liposome-encapsulated butorphanol (LEBT), carprofen, or a combination of both. 20 Hispaniolan parrots. MSU was injected into a tibiotarsal-tarsometatarsal (intertarsal) joint to induce arthritis (time 0)....

To evaluate injection of microcrystalline sodium urate (MSU) for inducing articular pain in green-cheeked conures (Pyrrhura molinae) and the analgesic efficacy of liposome-encapsulated butorphanol tartrate (LEBT) by use of weight load data, behavioral scores, and fecal corticosterone concentration. 8 conures. In a crossover study, conures were rand...