Electrocardiography in Exotic Animal Species

Key Points

  • Electrocardiography monitors the electrical activity of cardiac muscle cells and is particularly useful during long-term anesthesia when disturbances in acid-base and electrolyte balance can lead to arrhythmias.
  • Alligator clips are generally not attached directly to small patients or in species with delicate skin. Instead clips are attached to the tips of small-gauge hypodermic needles or stainless-steel suture that has been passed through the skin and subcutaneous space.
  • Adhesive electrocardiogram (ECG) patches or button electrodes can be placed on the foot pads of small mammals or directly onto the skin of mammals or large, smooth reptiles.
  • The normal ECG tracing in the bird can resemble ventricular tachycardia, primarily because of a large negative S wave.
  • The normal reptile ECG tracing can include an SV wave, which represents depolarization of the sinus venosus, low amplitude waveforms, and longer ST and QT intervals.
  • Always use caution when using ECG as an indicator of life in reptiles as the heart can continue to contract for long periods of time following death. Always use an additional monitoring technique to confirm circulation like capnography or Doppler ultrasound flow.
  • This article is part of a RACE-approved Anesthetic Monitoring teaching module. Visit the articles on monitoring the degree of central nervous system depression (anesthetic depth), blood pressure, capnometry, pulse oximetry, and vital signs for additional information in exotic animal patients.

Electrocardiography can be used to detect and diagnose arrhythmias and conduction abnormalities, particularly during long-term anesthesia. How are leads attached to exotic animal patients? And what is the normal appearance of normal electrocardiogram tracings in birds or reptiles . . .


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References


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FURTHER READING

Casares M, Enders F, Montaya JA. Comparative electrocardiography in four species of macaws (genera Anodorhynchus and Ara). J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med 47(5):277-281, 2000.

Hassanpour H, Hojjati P, Zarei H. Electrocardiogram analysis of the normal unanesthetized green peafowl (Pavo muticus). Zoo Biol 30(50):542-549, 2011.

Hassanpour H, Zarei H, Hojjati P. Analysis of electrocardiographic parameters in helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris). J Avian Med Surg 25(1):8-13, 2011.

Heard D. Galliformes and columbiformes. In: West G, Heard D, Caulkett N (eds). Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia, 2nd ed. Ames, IA: Wiley Blackwell; 2015:871.

Keene BW, Flammer K. ECG of the month. J Am Vet Med Assoc 198(3):408-409, 1991.

Longley L. Anaesthesia of Exotic Pets. London: Elsevier; 2008.

Lumeij JT, Stokhof AA. Electrocardiogram of the racing pigeon (Columba livia domestica). Res Vet Sci 38(3):275-278, 1985.

Musulin SE, Adin DB. ECG of the month. Sinus arrhythmia in an African grey parrot. J Am Vet Med Assoc 229(4):505-507, 2006.

Nap AM, Lumeij JT, Stokhof AA. Electrocardiogram of the African grey (Psittacus erithacus) and Amazon (Amazona spp.) parrot. Avian Pathol 21(1):45-53, 1992.

Nevarez JG. Monitoring during avian and exotic pet anesthesia, Semin Avian Exot Pet Med 14(4):277-283, 2005.

Tag TL, Day TK. Electrocardiographic assessment of hyperkalemia in dogs and cats. J Vet Emerg Crit Care 18(1):61-67, 2008.

Zandvliet M. Electrocardiography in psittacine birds and ferrets. Sem Avian Exotic Pet Med 14(1):34-51, 2005.

To cite this page:

Lafferty K, Pollock CG. Electrocardiography in exotic animal species. May 17, 2018. Available at https://lafeber.com/vet/electrocardiography/