For some pets, particularly exotics that are prey species, going to the vet and being handled can be very stressful. This stress can cause physiologic changes in the body that can be detrimental.
Sedation may be required to alleviate stress in nervous patients and to facilitate handling for minor procedures, such as radiographs.
There are many options available for sedation, with midazolam being the one that I use most commonly, either alone or in combination. Midazolam provides reliable sedation in exotics patients with minimal adverse effects when used at the appropriate dose, and there are many studies on its use in exotics. It can be administered by many routes, including intranasally in birds. Its sedating effects can be reversed with flumazenil if required.
Sedation does not preclude the use of environmental measures, such as gentle handling and noise reduction.
This is Mr Duck looking very relaxed 5 minutes after receiving midazolam in preparation for radiographs.
