A Comparison of Respiratory Variables in a Wild Population of Ventilated and Nonventilated Black Kites ().

Abstract

Black kites () often become injured due to kite-string injuries obtained during the International Kite Flying Festival that takes place during the celebration of Uttarayan, in Ahmedabad, India. The purpose of this study was to compare respiratory variables in ventilated and nonventilated black kites, to facilitate an evidence-based decision on whether to ventilate injured birds. A total of 56 juvenile and adult black kites of unknown sex were anesthetized and divided into a ventilated group (VG) and a nonventilated group (NVG). The variables recorded were end tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO), peripheral capillary oxygen saturation, heart rate, respiratory rate, and maintenance percentage of isoflurane (%ISO). The ETCOvalues were higher in the NVG compared to the VG (72.9 &#xb1; 19.8 mm Hg compared to 16.0 &#xb1; 5.6 mm Hg,< .01). The %ISO required to maintain adequate depth of anesthesia was higher in NVG compared to VG (3.5% &#xb1; 0.5% compared to 2.2% &#xb1; 0.4%,< .001). Peripheral capillary oxygen saturation was not statistically different between groups (NVG 96.3% &#xb1; 3.5% compared to the VG 96.0% &#xb1; 5.1%,= .867). Ventilation under anesthesia appears to lower the ETCOand the %ISO flow rate used to maintain a surgical plane of anesthesia. These findings should provide information that will be helpful in the anesthetic management of black kites and may apply to other avian species as well.