Etorphine M99 replaces Immobilon for Jelen.

Jelendeer

Well-Known Member
We are pleased to report that M99 and the reversing agent M5050 is now going to be available to Live Capture Operators through their Vets. It was a real worry to us as stag de-antlering season looms ever closer.

We've never used anything other than Immobilon/Revivon for stags as I don't think there's been anything to touch it as far as knock-down and reversal speed goes.

M99 is going to be over £550 per pack, much more expensive than Immobilon/Revivon, but on the plus side M99/M5050 is about 3-4 times stronger than Immobilon, so we should be able to use smaller darts.

If you want your Vet to get hold of it, then they will ned to applye for an STC (Special Treatment Certificate) to treat deer under cascade.

Great news for professional Live Capture Operators, although those who wished to see Immobilon banned may have a different view.

It is my understanding that Immobilon may come back on stream in the future, or a similar alternative, but for now M99/M5050 looks like it will do the lob for the time being.

I'd be interested to hear some of SD vet's views on this.

Regards,

Mike

(Director - Jelen Deer Services)
 
Mike,

Is there stock in this country? I made enquiries back in April and found the shocking price and was told that is was slow to get as each order imported from South Africa. I was also told that a new version of Immobilon was in the pipeline and I am on the list of people to contact when it becomes available.

We have to use an open vial within 28 days and it is illegal to supply an out of date medicine so my interest in the product ended there!

I would like to know what they pay for it in South Africa - I suspect only a few pounds.

There are alternative drugs that can be used to good effect that can be reversed. In certain cases the animal may be able to go back into the food chain. They are safer for operators too.

I suspect in the not too distant future we will all have to get used to life without Etoprhine.
 
isn't m99 just US manufacture immobilon like revivon being m5050 (US name)?

M99 contains:
Each 1 ml of M99 9,8 mg/ml contains: Etorphine hydrochloride 9,8 mg (equivalent to 9,0 mg etorphine alkaloid)

Immobilon contained:
1ml contains: 2.45mg Etoprhine and 10mg Acepromazine
 
Mike,

Is there stock in this country? I made enquiries back in April and found the shocking price and was told that is was slow to get as each order imported from South Africa. I was also told that a new version of Immobilon was in the pipeline and I am on the list of people to contact when it becomes available.

We have to use an open vial within 28 days and it is illegal to supply an out of date medicine so my interest in the product ended there!

I would like to know what they pay for it in South Africa - I suspect only a few pounds.

There are alternative drugs that can be used to good effect that can be reversed. In certain cases the animal may be able to go back into the food chain. They are safer for operators too.

I suspect in the not too distant future we will all have to get used to life without Etoprhine.

hi Apache,

i believe there are stocks on the way to some vets, and we have asked our vets to apply for the STC to get ours in.

I believe that it's well expensive in SA too. I have spoken to a few LCO's over there who confirm this. As far as we're concerned, it wil probably work out a little cheaper, but as you say the relatively short shelf-life could cause us some problems.

I'd be interested to hear your choice of alternative drugs - as yet we've not found anything that comes near to Etorphine as far as reliability and speed is concerned. Any suggestions and relative dose rates for Red deer would be most welcome.

However, like you I am sure that the days are numbered for Etorphine unless the zoo vets and large animals vets can apply enough pressure in the right places backed up with a good reason.

Regards,

Mike.
 
isn't m99 just US manufacture immobilon like revivon being m5050 (US name)?

Hi Paul,

The difference is (as far as I'm aware) that Immobilon is simply M99 with ACP. It will be interesting to see whether the lack of ACP will have any significant effect on darted Red deer.

However, I'm not a Vet, so perhaps Apache and Morena can provide some useful information.

Regards,

Mike
 
M99 contains:
Each 1 ml of M99 9,8 mg/ml contains: Etorphine hydrochloride 9,8 mg (equivalent to 9,0 mg etorphine alkaloid)

Immobilon contained:
1ml contains: 2.45mg Etoprhine and 10mg Acepromazine


Sorry Apache,

Didn't spot that you'd already covered this.

Regards,

Mike.
 
It will be interesting to see whether the lack of ACP will have any significant effect on darted Red deer.

However, I'm not a Vet,

Nor am I, but I'm also interested.

Was it included as an antiemetic, I wonder, or as adjunctive sedative? Or as both?
Or as a bit of a marketing gimmick?
 
M99 contains:
Each 1 ml of M99 9,8 mg/ml contains: Etorphine hydrochloride 9,8 mg (equivalent to 9,0 mg etorphine alkaloid)

Immobilon contained:
1ml contains: 2.45mg Etoprhine and 10mg Acepromazine

Check what M99 you are getting, I have used it for years and it came at different times at 2.45, 4.9 and 9.8mg/ml. Just be sure you are getting the 4X dose, or it could be very expensive. It is good news for those darting fallow as M99 with xylazine is a much safer combination than immobilon. For those used to using immobilon, ACP is available and can be added to the mix.
 
Another thing to remember with M99 when considering the price is the bottle size. I just checked my supplies and found that both the 4.9 and 9.8mg/ml come in 5ml bottles, but you will remember Immobilon was in a 10.5ml bottle.....
 
I'd be interested to hear your choice of alternative drugs - as yet we've not found anything that comes near to Etorphine as far as reliability and speed is concerned. Any suggestions and relative dose rates for Red deer would be most welcome.

Standard disclosure - speak to your own vet re prescribing and dosages. Far to easy to get a decimal point in the wrong place or mistake a milligram for a microgram on the internet.

There is some published work using Xylazine alone in red deer and in combination with other drugs. It is licensed in food producing animals in this country and there would be no issues a deer that had been treated going into the food chain with a suitable withdrawal period (likely 28 days). Although that class of drug does have analgesic properties, local anaesthetic is also required.

Xylazine and a xylazine/fentanyl citrate/azaperone... [N Z Vet J. 1996] - PubMed - NCBI

Velveting of Deer and Xylazine

(in the UK we also have a 10% xylazine available in addition to the 2% product mentioned. The cost per dear could be as little as a few pounds).

(the links above is just an example, I haven't conducted a thorough literature search!)

Was it included as an antiemetic, I wonder, or as adjunctive sedative? Or as both?
Or as a bit of a marketing gimmick?

The ACP is there as a sedative. I would imagine it would prolong the effective working time of the product as sedatives work together and require lower doses of each, making them safer. I always imagined that it was there to smooth the recovery as the ACP would not be reversed. It is a known anxiolytic.

Ruminants don't vomit so nausea not significant.
 
M99 ( etorphine ) M5050 (diprenorphine ) was developed by Prof Bentley in Edinburgh in the early 60s and put through clinical trials by Fred Harthoorn ( wildlife vet in Kenya ) after that ( no acetylpromazine originally ) Subsequently marketed as Immobilon with addition of acetylpromazine.
Etorphine acts on the brain resulting in loss of conscious,analgesia and respiratory depression.
In the early stages of induction some excitement before taking effect. If given too low dosage the animal remains ' jumpy' without proceeding to knockdown.Elevated heart rate. If overdosage respiratory depression leading to death.
When etorphine is given alone to deer considerable increase in heart rate. Muscles become hypertonic ( tense ) which further increases the risk of overheating. Addition of xylazine controls to a certain degree the heart rate increase, which acetylpromazine does not. Addition of acetylpromazine depresses the activity of the brain with moderate effect on reducing excitement and muscular tension but exacerbates the state of hyperthermia. Problems arise with Fallow deer. Acetylpromazine anti-emetic ( ruminants don't vomit ) anticonvulsant and antispasmodic with degree of analgesia.
The antidote Revivon ( M5050 diprenorphine ) is given as an antidote which is merely replacing a very powerful narcoleptic with a less powerful one ( If give too much leads to uncontrollable excitement with disastrous results )

Etorphine in solution has a pH of 4 which is quite acidic hence to dilute the strong solution need to have diluent at pH 4 otherwise can get precipitation from solution.
Excretion of the drug M99 is via the bile into the gut which in the odd animal can lead to them being ' jumpy ' for a day or two due to reabsorption via the gut. M5050 is excreted via the kidney.
Xylazine can be used an addition to M99 as well as being used by itself. There is an antidote but not available in the UK. I have used it abroad with satisfactory results.
Have also used out of date M99 with usual expectations. As the ranger said to me when we first used it " Only God is watching us "

pm if further explanation needed
 
Xylazine can be used an addition to M99 as well as being used by itself. There is an antidote but not available in the UK.

Hi Morena

Antisedan (atipamezole) will completely reverse xylazine and is readily available in the UK.

Regards

Dama
 
Hi Morena

Antisedan (atipamezole) will completely reverse xylazine and is readily available in the UK.

Regards

Dama

It will, but then as no product licence in food producing animals and no MRL (as far as I am aware) the deer could then not go into the food chain.
 
Acetylpromazine anti-emetic ( ruminants don't vomit ) anticonvulsant and antispasmodic with degree of analgesia.
I'm more familiar with the use of phenothiazines in humans, but in that species they are for sure proconvulsants, and without noticable analgesic (except apparently in neuroleptanalgesia, if you're a 1980s dentist) or antispasmodic effects.

The anitemetic thing is interesting, for they are also antinauseants, which though ruminants don't vomit might help if they got opioid-induced nausea. I wonder if ruminants get that, and how you'd tell?
 
It will, but then as no product licence in food producing animals and no MRL (as far as I am aware) the deer could then not go into the food chain.

In the context here of using it along with M99, this hardly really matters.....as they will be precluded from the food chain anyway!
 
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