ABSTRACT
Marine mammal anesthesia is a topic of continual interest and research, with novel anesthetic agents, monitoring techniques, and anesthetic protocols regularly introduced. Since the previous edition of this chapter, several excellent reviews of marine mammal anesthesia have been summarized (West et al. 2014). Ongoing research, specific situations, and differences among species dictate that the veterinarian planning an anesthetic procedure is familiar with previously successful techniques and selects the protocol best suited to the task at hand. When anesthetizing marine mammals, planning is vital, and training is even more important. Anesthesia-related morbidity and mortality in marine mammals has created anxiety for veterinary staff and curators. However, with diligent monitoring, use of safer agents, and increased experience among marine mammal clinicians, the risk associated with marine mammal anesthesia has decreased and is comparable to that of large terrestrial domestic and zoo species. A marine mammal’s response to an anesthetic agent is affected by anatomic and physiologic adaptations to a life at sea. The dive response, for example, is a complex set of physiologic adaptations that allow breath holding and conservation of oxygen (see Chapter 6 ). Many of these adaptations can complicate anesthesia, and activation of the dive response has been implicated in mortality of anesthetized marine mammals (Gales and Burton 1988; Phelan and Green 1992). This chapter reviews the more recent literature pertaining to anesthesia of marine mammals. Consultation with experts may be necessary to further understand the details and to develop an adequate protocol for each specific situation.
