Nele Sabbe, [21 Oct 2024 at 10:46:10]: Darting waterbuck with the low opioid (HH) mixture - how much azaperone would you add to the dart (I suppose the advised dose is still 2.5 mg Thianil + 3.5 mg medetomidine)? Do certain people use higher doses on nyala bulls (standard HH mix: 1.5 mg Thianil + 4 mg medetomidine + 20 mg azaperone)? Sometimes they react nicely, but sometimes they are just not down enough to catch them And finally: what combination seems to work best now with big eland bulls? I have such different reactions with them... Neil Parsons, [21 Oct 2024 at 11:14:47]: Hi Nele, For ground darting big eland bulls, I’ve been using 1mg Thianil + 15 mg medetomidine + 30 mg azaperone plus 5000 iu Hyalase. I usually catch them around 7-8 minutes - they are quite light on this dose, but very easy to handle. These are Livingstone eland so there may be some differences to Cape eland. For waterbuck (assuming Defassa and common are similar), I add 20 mg azaperone to the darts. For Defassa I use much lower Thianil doses than you’ve suggested. A big bull I’ll dart with 1 mg Thianil, 4 mg medetomidine and 20 mg azaperone. I prefer a lighter anaesthesia that I can top up with IV ketamine if necessary. I haven’t done enough nyala to comment on the best doses. For eland a long needle (1.5”) and good dart placement in a large muscle group makes a big difference to their response. Nele Sabbe, [21 Oct 2024 at 11:22:25]: Thanks a lot Neil! I am normally not too much concerned if they take longer, but my eland don't always react enough. My next job is on a farm with lots of water, so I don't want to have disasters there! Neil Parsons, [21 Oct 2024 at 11:31:30]: I also don’t mind a slower down time if it means they aren’t too deep and don’t run as much. It would be good to hear what doses you choose and how it goes with that job, if you don’t mind sharing Gernot Redeker, [21 Oct 2024 at 16:38:59]: I know you SA guys will laugh at me, but darting adult nyala bulls from a helicopter, I use 3 mg Thianil, 8 mg medetomidine and 30 mg azaperone. If I use less, they struggle to go down and run for ages. They are very stable on that in my experience. Even for 45 min on the back of the bakkie to get to the truck 😁. It is very important to keep their head up and nose down, as they do regurgitate with the medetomidine. That is my experience David Pretorius, 21 October 2024 Add Hyalase Ulf Tubessing, 21 October 202 I agree with Gernot. Nele Sabbe, [23 Oct 2024 at 07:15:21]: Hi, as promised some feedback: Eland: 1 mg Thianil +14 mg medetomidine + 30 mg azaperone. They went down after 8 min, but with prodder stimulation, they got up again. Nyala bull 1: 1 mg Thianil + 6 mg medetomidine + 20 mg azaperone. After about 6min I could walk him to the trailer Nyala bull 2: 1 mg Thianil + 7 mg medetomidine + 20 mg azaperone. It went down by itself.
