title: Four methods for general anaesthesia in the rabbit: a comparative study.
abstract: The efficacy and safety of pentobarbitone, ketamine/xylazine, fentanyl/fluanisone/diazepam, and halothane/nitrous oxide anaesthesia were compared in 4 groups of six New Zealand White rabbits. Heart and respiratory rates, body temperature, reflexes, blood pressure and blood gases were measured. Pentobarbitone appeared to be unsuitable for anaesthesia in rabbits, as 5 of the 6 rabbits to whom it was administered, required artificial respiration or died. The combinations of ketamine/xylazine and fentanyl-fluanisone/diazepam both produced unpredictable levels of anaesthesia together with a substantial decline in arterial blood pressure and PO2. Despite a severe drop in blood pressure (up to 37.5%), anaesthesia with halothane and nitrous oxide was found to be superior to the other anaesthetic agents.
authors.affiliation: Small Animal Clinic, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Teske
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Eyzenbach
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: vd Brom
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lumeij
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: de Vries
mesh_terms: D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation / Q000662:veterinary; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001463:Barbiturates / Q000494:pharmacology; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D011817:Rabbits / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D001463:Barbiturates; D005283:Fentanyl