Pulse Oximetry in Exotic Animal Species

Date: May 17, 2018

By: Katrina Lafferty, RLAT, VTS (Anesthesia/Analgesia)

Second Author:Christal Pollock, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice)

Reviewed by: Barbara Ambros, DrMedVet, MVetSc, DECVAA and Jody Nugent-Deal, RVT , VTS (Anesthesia), VTS (Exotic Companion Animal)

Keywords: , , , , , , ,

Categories: Avian,  Mammals,  Reptiles & Amphibians,  Emergency Medicine 

Key Points

  • Heart rate and oxygenation should ideally be monitored during every anesthetic event.
  • Hemoglobin oxygen saturation in arterial blood should exceed 95% in most species.
  • Even when small patient size (exotic companion mammals) or lack of validation (birds and reptiles) limits the accuracy of pulse oximetry readings, trends can be monitored during the course of anesthesia that can provide useful clues to patient clinical status.
  • 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, electrocardiography, and vital signs for additional information in exotic animal patients.

Heart rate and oxygenation should ideally be monitored during every anesthetic event. Patient size can limit the accuracy of pulse oximetry readings in exotic companion mammals and this technique has not been validated in birds or reptiles, however trends during the course of anesthesia can still provide useful clues to patient clinical status . . .

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References


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9. Frische S, Bruno S, Fago A, et al. Oxygen binding by single red blood cells from the red-eared turtle Trachemys scripta. J Appl Physiol 90(5):1679-1684, 2001.

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11. Hernandez-Divers SM, Schumacher J, Stahl S, et al. Comparison of isoflurane and sevoflurane anesthesia after premedication with butorphanol in the green iguana (Iguana iguana). J Zoo Wildl Med 36(2):169-175, 2005.

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FURTHER READING

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

Storz JF, Natarajan C, Moriyama H, et al. Oxygenation properties and isoform diversity of snake hemoglobins. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 309(9):R1178-R1191, 2015.

Thawley V, Waddel LS. Pulse oximetry and capnometry. Topics in Companion Animal Medicine 28(3):124-128, 2013.

Torsoni MA, Stoppa GR, Turra A, Ogo SH. Functional behavior of tortoise hemoglobin Geochelone denticulata. Braz J Biol 62(4A): 725-733, 2002.

To cite this page:

Lafferty K, Pollock CG. Pulse oximetry in exotic animal species. May 17, 2018. Available at https://lafeber.com/vet/pulse-oximetry/