Successful Emergency Treatment in Bradypus variegatus following Non-Hemorrhagic Hypovolemic Shock

Abstract

Background: The brown-throated sloth (Bradypus variegatus) occurs from the Nicaragua to Brazil. In brazilian amazonian, these animals are rescued with illnesses caused by anthropic actions. Emergencial treatment of sloths is complex because is a lack of specie-specific information allied to a particularly physiology. They have low metabolism and physiological parameters during resting time is 4-7 breaths/min, 40-100 heartbeats/min and temperature between 32-35ºC. They are also folivores, predisposing cases of dehydration and even hypovolemic shock. This study aimed to report the emergency treatment performed on a specimen of Bradypus variegatus affected by hypovolemic shock due to dehydration.

Case: A male sloth weighing 2.7 kg was attended at the Veterinary Hospital-Wild Animals Sector of the Federal University of Pará (HVSAS-UFPA), victim of untreated hypovolemic shock due three days of forced eating with inadequate food, which resulted in dehydration, non-hemorrhagic hypovolemic shock, and severe apathy. Physiological parameters were 8 breaths/min, heart rate 90/min and rectal temperature of 33°C. Treatment begun with fluid therapy taking account of 10% of body dehydration (270 mL Ringer lactate, 8 mL vitamin complex and 2 mL glucose), for respiratory decompensation nebulization was conducted with epinephrine (0.5 mL/kg), and intramuscular administration of vitamin B complex (1 mg/kg), metoclopramide (0.2 mg/kg), ranitidine (0.5 mg/kg), and dexamethasone (0.3 mg/kg) to metabolic stimulation improvement. Physiological parameters were monitored every 10 min for the first 12 h of hospitalization. The management were gradually established as the clinical conditions were improved, including forced feeding, daily walks, and enclosure adapted for the minimal behavioral and biological requirements. After 14 days of intensive treatment, the animal was considered ready for release.

Discussion: Treatment of critically ill and unnourishment patients requires prompt interventions. Animals with low metabolism potentially have reduced chances of success, therefore, a prompt establishment of viable airways and body temperature maintenance would allow the efficient drugs metabolization. Severe dehydration can lead to animal death by hypovolemic shock, as a consequence of low blood volume, diminish in blood pressure and in the amount of oxygen in body supply, so fluid replacement is essential, as well as stimulating respiratory compensation through bronchodilator drugs. Furthermore, metabolic stimulation is important in cases to prevent numbness, which is common in very weak sloths. The constant monitoring of physiological parameters since at first moment of hospitalization provided parameter to decide about particular needs adaptations during the animal recovery time. Such protocols described for the brown-throated sloth was absent in the literature. In conclusion, the therapeutic and management protocol implemented and adapted to a particular patience, as brown-throated sloth, resulted in a gradual clinical improvement and allowed to its return for the natural environment.