| dc.description.abstract | The white-tailed deer (WTD) breeding and hunting industry is a large and growing industry with an economic impact of over a billion dollars in Texas alone. The increasing number of deer in captive breeding facilities results in increased veterinary drug use on deer. However, drugs can act differently even among similar species so further information on drug use in deer would help managers and veterinarians make more sound decisions when using drugs in deer.
Two examples of novel extra-label drug use in WTD are studied, evaluated, and explained. Tulathromycin is a macrolide antibiotic used commonly to treat livestock, including deer, with bacterial respiratory infections, often delivered subcutaneous (SQ) or intramuscular (IM). Since it is logistically difficult to put hands on a WTD, even in most captive breeding situations, a study was conducted to evaluated tulathromycin as a candidate for remote-delivery dart (RDD) in WTD. Twelve WTD were darted with CO2 powered RDD projectors to administer 2.5 mg/kg of tulathromycin IM. Blood was then collected nine times over 30 days and the serum concentration for each sample was quantified in order to determine the pharmacokinetics of tulathromycin in each deer. Overall tulathromycin was poorly absorbed, reached low mean peak concentrations, had a high bioavailability, and an extremely long elimination half-life. The results indicated that darting with tulathromycin is an unpredictable means of administration and may not reach therapeutic concentrations. Flunixin meglumine (FM), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), was also evaluated for extra-label use in WTD in a case study with 72 WTD in South Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife has seen anecdotal evidence of FM effectively reducing the body temperature of hyperthermic animals during game captures. Three of the deer in the case study became severely hyperthermic and the FM was tested in conjunction with cold water enemas. With over half of the 72 deer being hyperthermic, and three severely hyperthermic, a 100% post 30-day survival is strong evidence of the effect of FM. | en |
