CLINICAL TECHNIQUE: Intrathecal Drug Administration in Turtles and Tortoises

Intrathecal (subdural) administration of anesthetic and analgesic drugs in turtles and tortoises is a novel technique for the induction of spinal anesthesia and analgesia. Possible indications for spinal anesthesia include surgical procedures of the tail, phallus, cloaca, and hind limbs. Intrathecal injections are performed at the level of the coccygeal vertebrae. In red-eared sliders the intrathecal administration of lidocaine (2% preservative free, 4 mg/kg) and bupivacaine (0.5% preservative free, 1 mg/kg) provides regional anesthesia of the tail, cloaca, and hind limbs for about 1 and 2 hours, respectively. The intrathecal administration of morphine provides regional analgesia for up to 48 hours. Strict aseptic techniques should be used to avoid iatrogenic complications, and only preservative-free drugs should be injected into the intrathecal space so that spinal toxicity and secondary neurologic complications are avoided.