ANESTHESIA IN A CAPTIVE JUVENILE BLACK RHINOCEROS (DICEROS BICORNIS) FOR MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING AND COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY.

A hand-reared, 53-kg, female, 30-day-old black rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis ) calf presented for magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography after demonstrating neurologic signs. The rhino was premedicated intramuscularly with butorphanol and midazolam, yielding satisfactory sedation. Induction was achieved using intravenous propofol until the trachea could be intubated. Anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane in 100% oxygen (mean end-tidal concentration of 2 ± 0.5%). Mean values recorded during anesthesia included were heart rate, end-tidal carbon dioxide, respiratory rate, noninvasive blood pressure, and pulse oximetry. A balanced electrolyte solution of 10 mL/kg per hour was given intravenously. It was concluded that anesthesia was safely induced and maintained with a combination of butorphanol, midazolam, propofol, and sevoflurane. Total anesthesia time was 3 hr, with no perianesthetic complications and an uneventful recovery.