TWENTY YEARS OF MOOSE IMMOBILIZATION WITH SUCCINYLCHOLINE CHLORIDE

Abstract

Adult moose (Alces alces) in 4 populations in Minnesota and Alaska were immobilized with succinylcholine chloride during 1968-88. Data on 362 immobilizations of 296 individuals were obtained. Doses range from 20-30 mg for moose weighing 400-640 kg. The overall mortality rate was 2.5%. Despite the replacement of this drug by narcotics during the past decade, succinyl choline chloride retains certain advantages for a mobilizing moose including a high safety margin for humans, low cost, lack of narcotics licensing procedures, absence of recycling, and rapid, full recovery to normal behavior in 5-50 minutes. Conservative doses are stressed; when used conservatively and in the absence of painful, invasive procedures, this drug may be used humanely and with low mortality. A persistent problem with succinylcholine chloride is that when used conservatively a high proportion (30-40%) of darted moose may not be immobilized with the first dose; this increases costs of helicopter immobilization. Succinylcholine chloride does not depress the central nervous system; immobilized animals are conscious and may experience pain.