The use of ketamine anaesthesia to milk two tropical rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus terrificus).
A series of five experimental milkings using ketamine as anaesthetic are described. The drug produced effects which, depending upon the dose, ranged from tranquillisation to deep anaesthesia. No apparent side effects were observed. It is concluded that anaesthesia could play an important role in the safe milking of venomous snakes.
D000758:Anesthesia / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D007649:Ketamine; D012910:Snake Venoms / Q000378:metabolism*; D012911:Snakes
D012910:Snake Venoms; D007649:Ketamine