Additional resources Currently there are a number of excellent textbooks about laboratory animal anesthesia and pain management available online through the UNC Library system. A select few are as follows: 1) http://search.lib.unc.edu/search?R=UNCb6247400 Laboratory animal anaesthesia, Flecknell, P. A. Elsevier/Academic Press, Amsterdam, Boston, 2009. 2) http://search.lib.unc.edu/search?R=UNCb6554539 Handbook of laboratory animal science.Volume 1, Essential principles and practices, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2011. Updated July, 2014, September 2016. Mouse Anesthetics Drug Dose (mg/kg) Route Effect Potential side effects Notes Preparation/ Use Ketamine/ Acepromazine 100/5.0 or 100/2.5 IP, IM immobilization/ anesthesia for minor procedures; 20 - 30 min if animal becomes "light", administer an additional halfdose of ketamine only- not the combination Ketamine/Diazepam 100/5.0 IP immobilization/ anesthesia; 20 - 30 min do not mix in same syringe, drugs will precipitate if animal becomes "light", administer an additional halfdose of ketamine only- not the combination Ketamine/Midazolam 100/5.0 IP light anesthesia only - not surgical; 20 - 30 min respiratory depression if animal becomes "light", administer an additional halfdose of ketamine only- not the combination Ketamine/ Dexmedetomidine 75/1.0 females IP surgical plane of anesthesia in most strains ~20 - 30 min hypothermia, depression of cardiovascular / respiratory function excellent muscle relaxation and analgesia dexmedetomidine reversed with atipamezole (1.0 mg/kg IM, IP, SC, IV) to speed recovery, if animal becomes "light", administer an additional halfdose of ketamine only- not the combination 40/1.0 males IP 50/1.0 to 100/1.0 IP Ketamine/Xylazine 100/10 IP depth of anesthesia can highly variable amongst strains, sexes, and individual animals; ~20-30 min reduction of cardiac output if animal becomes "light", administer an additional halfdose of ketamine only- not the combination Ketamine/Xylazine/ Acepromazine 100/2.5 - 10/2.5-3.0 IP addition of acepromazine increases depth and duration of anesthesia literature recommends titrating the mixture with each strain multiple other dose combinations have been published, consult with DLAM vets if this dose does not seem to be effective in strain of interest, if animal becomes "light", administer an additional half- dose of ketamine only- not the combination Updated July, 2014, September 2016.
(Resources to Aid in Recognition of Pain and Distress; Pain Relief In Animals) The following is a listing of dosages for many of the more commonly employed analgesics and anesthetics, and is meant as a guide during protocol preparation. In all cases, animals may only be utilized with a currently IACUC approved protocol and any changes in the analgesics or anesthetics must be accompanied by an amendment to the protocol even if the medication is listed in this formulary. The formulary is not meant to be an all-inclusive listing. If you would like to use a drug not included in this listing, please contact a DLAM veterinarian to discuss its use in your protocol. Variability amongst models The doses listed in the formulary were collected from the comparative medicine literature, but these articles typically evaluate rodent drug doses using the most common strains or stocks and healthy animals in the case of large animal trials. Moreover, it is well recognized there can be considerable variation in the effect of drugs across individuals, strains and stocks, as well as between sexes. Thus, it is critical to evaluate all animals, including strains or models that you have created, to determine if the doses and/or drugs chosen are appropriate in your study. If your research focuses on a particular body system, it is also important to consider the effect of the drug on that system. We encourage you to work with the Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine (DLAM) veterinarians and/or review the literature for this information. There have been a considerable number of articles in the comparative medicine literature focusing on these considerations. Selecting an appropriate analgesic or anesthetic In most cases, the formulary includes information regarding the time of onset and duration of effect. In general, the opiates are shorter-acting than Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and can be effectively used at the time of the procedure to dampen the induction of the pain pathways. The pain and discomfort which occurs later is typically attributed to inflammation, therefore, NSAIDs are used in many post-operative regimens. When using multiple drugs, it is also critical to consider their potential interactions. For example, certain opiates can actually antagonize each other’s actions, thus cancelling their beneficial effect.