Inhalation anesthesia equipment for rats with provision of simultaneous anesthetic and oxygen

PURPOSE: To introduce a model of equipment for inhalation anesthesia in rats that offers better control of both flow and losses of ether during induction, maintenance, and recuperation. METHODS: The equipment consists of an air compressor with two outlets, a closed glass induction chamber, a glass reservoir for the anesthetic agent, a pediatric inhalation mask, a three-way stopcock, a Y-connector, and urinary catheters. Three hundred Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus albinus) were given inhalation anesthesia. The evaluated parameters were equipment operation, duration of each phase of anesthesia, corneal reflex, muscular tonus, respiration during induction and maintenance, and volume of anesthesia. RESULTS: The average time taken for induction was 7.3 minutes; the average anesthetic recuperation time was 6.4 minutes. The amount of anesthetic used varied according to the weight of the animal, with the average volume of ether used being 6.5ml/hour. The availability of oxygen (room air) decreased the recuperation time and averted both respiratory depression and insufficient depth of anesthesia. CONCLUSION: The proposed equipment is practical, inexpensive, and allows for satisfactory control of anesthetic parameters during the entire procedure, making inhalation anesthesia in rats safe and essentially complication free.