Publications

Capture myopathy (CM) is a noninfectious, metabolic condition often associated with pursuit, transport or capture of animals and it is a major contributor to capture-related mortality. Prevention and early diagnostics are beneficial for the outcome, as treatment is difficult. Muscle rigidity is one of the clinical signs observed in CM, but it is difficult to measure objectively and in a non-invasive way. The aim of this thesis was to investigate MyotonPRO myotonometer as a possible diagnostic method for CM.

The ability to detect changes in muscle tone of immobilized blesbok was studied by combining etorphine with a tranquillizer: azaperone or midazolam. MyotonPRO was used to measure two different muscles/muscle groups during a 40-minute monitoring period.

Muscle tone of longissimus dorsi decreased in both groups during the monitoring period. The overall muscle tone was lower in the azaperone group but the decrease in muscle tone was greater in the midazolam group. It suggests that midazolam has a better effect on muscle relaxation, but that azaperone counteracts the side effects of opioids better and has a stronger anxiolytic effect. There was a positive correlation between muscle tone and body temperature. Pharmacodynamics and direct effects of the immobilization drugs, adaptation, psychological stress and subsequent rise in body temperature are all likely to contribute to changes in muscle tone.

The results indicate that MyotonPRO can detect changes in the muscle tone of immobilized blesbok. Further research on the subject is warranted, as the experience on the use of MyotonPRO in veterinary medicine is limited.

Keywords: capture myopathy, MyotonPRO, muscle tone

The muscle tone and stiffness decreased in both study groups. The overall muscle tone was lower in animals immobilized with etorphine and azaperone, but the decrease in muscle tone was greater in animals immobilized with etorphine and midazolam. Changes in time were found to be statistically significant, but the differences between two different drugs were not. There was also a positive correlation between muscle tone and body temperature. Pharmacodynamics and direct effects of the immobilization drugs, adaptation, psychological stress and subsequent rise in body temperature are all likely to contribute to changes in muscle tone. The results suggest that midazolam has a better effect on muscle relaxation, but that azaperone counteracts the side effects of opioids better and has a stronger anxiolytic effect.

The results indicate that MyotonPRO can detect changes in the muscle tone of immobilized blesbok. Further studies should be performed on different species and with different immobilization protocols, before MyotonPRO could be declared as a diagnostic tool for muscle diseases such as capture myopathy.