Open AccessIs carbon dioxide (CO2) a useful short acting anaesthetic for small laboratory animals?
Author(s) -
I. Köhler,
R. Meier,
André Busato,
GieigerAeschbacher,
U. Schatzmann
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
laboratory animals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.62
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1758-1117
pISSN - 0023-6772
DOI - 10.1258/002367799780578390
Subject(s) - carbon dioxide , anesthesia , oxygen , medicine , general anaesthesia , surgical procedures , room air distribution , zoology , chemistry , toxicology , surgery , biology , organic chemistry , physics , thermodynamics
The anaesthetic effect of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) was investigated under predetermined exposure times in rats, mice and guineapigs with admixture of 20% of oxygen (O 2 ), and with 20% of ambient air in rats. In rats first symptoms (median) were detectable between 7 and 9.5 s, the induction time (median) varied between 16 and 20.5 s and the surgical tolerance (median) was 40 s (after 60 s of exposure) and 53.5 s (after 120 s of exposure) to 80% CO 2 /20% O 2 . When O 2 was replaced by ambient air, a surgical tolerance of 53.5 s (after 60 s of exposure) and 77 s (after 120 s of exposure) was measured. In mice the induction time to 80% CO 2 /20% O 2 was 10 s and the surgical tolerance 19.5 s (after 120 s of exposure). Guineapigs showed an induction period of 20 s and a surgical tolerance of 50 s (after 30 s of exposure) to 80% CO 2 /O 2 . Recovery was short and smooth in all species. This method of general anaesthesia seems to be suitable for short and painful interventions, mainly in rats, but also in guineapigs.