Ryan Jeffery, [07 Feb 2024 at 20:18:32]: Good evening. Has a malignant hyperthermia-type syndrome ever been diagnosed in wildlife as a result of capture or reaction to capture / sedative drugs? Henry Labuschagne, [07 Feb 2024 at 20:55:19]: I have seen in darted warthog. Rx MgSO4 and cold water enema. Douse with cold water and put in front of fan. Leith Meyer, [07 Feb 2024 at 21:17:28]: Not that I’m aware of. If you remove stress, or antagonize the capture drugs, and place animals in a cool environment where they can lose heat, or you cool them, the hyperthermia resolves. With malignant hyperthermia very little stops the hyperthermia from getting worse until the animal dies. Only dantrolene, given early enough, works. Henry Labuschagne, 7 Feb 2024: I have used MgSO4 in potbellies and warthog with good results. I agree dantrolene is first prize but I have not used it. Leith Meyer, [08 Feb 2024 at 17:53:46]: Hi Henry. With your treatment working it’s unlikely that these animals had malignant hyperthermia, but they probably rather had severe stress/capture induced hyperthermia. Malignant hyperthermia is like a run-away fire that you can only stop if you give dantrolene early enough - even very aggressive cooling doesn’t help until dantrolene is given. I had the unfortunate experience of trying to treat a few cases of it in pigs anaesthetised with isoflurane, it’s crazy how quickly they go from normal to extreme hyperthermia and death. Henry Labuschagne, [09 Feb 2024 at 10:24:20]: Leith. What is your opinion - is it worth giving MgSO4 before giving GA in pigs? Eg. in water to drink if not able to inject iv.? MgSO4 im? I do a lot of hoof care in potbellies and captive warthogs and always stand ready to inject MgSO4 iv prn . Leith Meyer, [11 Feb 2024 at 11:05:16]: Hi Henry. Oral MgSO4 isn’t well absorbed (poor Mg bioavailability). Other formulations of Mg may be better for oral admin, like Mg-citrate. Have you ever tried oral diazepam? It should give good anxiolytic effects which should help to prevent severe stress-induced hyperthermia. Henry Labuschagne, [11 Feb 2024 at 11:55:15]: Thx Leith. Will go the diazepam route. V- Tech Diazepam in mealie meal. Leith Meyer, [11 Feb 2024 at 12:01:02]: Yip, they should like it. Let us know how it works. Leith Meyer, [11 Feb 2024 at 15:10:36]: Some interesting and geeky info, researchers have used stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH) in rodent models to test if drugs have anxiolytic properties or not. Good anxiolytic drugs prevent the occurrence of SIH in this model. Benzodiazepines worked well in this model.
