What are the considerations for anesthesia in sloths?
Dosage and combination of drugs depend on multiple factors such as gender, whether the animal is wild or captive, health status, type of procedure, and drug availability.
Tranquilizers and sedatives alone do not produce the desired effect in wild adults.
Induction with inhalation anesthesia can be difficult due to the sloth's ability to hold its breath for prolonged periods of time.
Intubation is recommended to maintain an open airway, but it can be difficult in Bradypus spp. due to limited mouth opening and the angle of the epiglottis and arytenoid cartilages with respect to the tracheal entrance.