Do you feel pressure, or more pressure than normal to make sure the jaguar is sedated?
Yes, and no. Immobilizing a big cat like this, or any of the "dangerous" big game species (Zebra, Wildeebeast, Hippo, Rhino, Lion, Tiger, Antelope, etc) is a bit tricky as they are very easily killed with inadvertent overdose: tying "too hard" to make it safe for people to approach them. It is the dart delivery and drug doses that make it different and more challenging, not necessarily the drugs involved.
Even with that in mind, I am basically incapable of feeling pressure while actually working with a patient. I am usually very tired after I have recovered a patient that experiences life-threatening complicating events though...........so I must be stressed somehow.
More so than for a yellow lab for instance.
The wildlife patients are beautiful and valuable to the entire community for numerous reasons. The Yellow Labrador is beautiful and valuable to the owners because of the very special relationship they share. There is always the same degree of responsibility to safe-guard life no matter what form the patient takes. I have anesthetized everything from cockroaches to elephants, people included. I think the cockroaches had DNR orders though...........
Is there a contingency plan in mind in case the cat starts to wake?
My job is to make sure he doesn't, so making sure he is always appropriately asleep is a priority. If he escapes before he is immobilized, or after he is fully awake, there is usually a guy with a shotgun standing by. I have, so far, thankfully, not needed his assistance.
