Table 5.
Choice of anesthesia
| Drug | Dose (mg/kg per route) | Duration of anesthesia | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mouse | Rat | |||
| Ketamine/xylazine | 90–200 ketamine, 10 xylazine; i.p. | 40–80 ketamine, 5–10 xylazine; i.p. | 30–80 min | High mortality possible at high ketamine dose |
| Good analgesia | ||||
| Xylazine reversible with atipamezole | ||||
| Avertin | 0.2 mL/10 g as 1.25% solution; i.p. | 300 i.p. | 10–30 min | Safe and effective |
| Proper preparation and storage are critical. | ||||
| Isoflurane | Inhalation to effect | Inhalation to effect | Very safe if used with a precision vaporizer | |
| “Open drop” method requires strict monitoring. | ||||
| Atipamezole | 0.1–1.0; i.p. or s.c. | 1.0; i.p. | Adrenergic α-agonist reversal agent for xylazine | |
