Rat Anaesthesia

Re: Rat Anaesthesia

Vicky RVN — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:38:44 GMT

[quote user="NickyVN"]We operated on a 100g russian hamster today[/quote]

Oh my i just read that as 100kg

If we're doing dental work i sometimes take the mask off and just use the end of the circuit if it fits over the nose well to keep them asleep.

Re: Rat Anaesthesia

Kerry Spain — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 20:00:15 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

Lot less knob twiddling

[/quote]

hahahaha that made me laugh

Re: Rat Anaesthesia

Nicola Smith — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:40:16 GMT

My guinea had an incisor tooth out and he was kept out with a tiny mask just over his nose allowing access to his mouth - not sure if that would work on a rat?

We operated on a 100g russian hamster today - looked really tiny on the ops table!!

Re: Rat Anaesthesia

Phrin Vernon RVN — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 21:34:36 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

[quote user="Phrin SVN"] I just turned off the iso each time we removed the mask[/quote]

as long as you turn off the O2 then you don't need to touch the iso dial and the system retains it's iso level ready for the next time the mask is applied. Lot less knob twiddling.

[/quote]

Now see I know that! But in the heat of a stessful rat GA I just turned off the iso..... and gave myself a headache in the process! Grrrr at myself!

Re: Rat Anaesthesia

Phrin Vernon RVN — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 21:32:52 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

very brave - I've never tried to extract rat incisors - would be worried abut fracturing that tiny ickle rat jaw! (We have a chipmunk that comes in every month of incisor trim under a quick GA!)

[/quote]

Agreed! But the boss had booked it in (he is on holiday at the mo - very convenient!) Affter a attempting it, VS decided to abort for the rats sake, and adv o on monthly trimming!

Re: Rat Anaesthesia

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 21:01:56 GMT

[quote user="Phrin SVN"] I just turned off the iso each time we removed the mask[/quote]

as long as you turn off the O2 then you don't need to touch the iso dial and the system retains it's iso level ready for the next time the mask is applied. Lot less knob twiddling.

Re: Rat Anaesthesia

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 20:58:46 GMT

very brave - I've never tried to extract rat incisors - would be worried abut fracturing that tiny ickle rat jaw! (We have a chipmunk that comes in every month of incisor trim under a quick GA!)

Re: Rat Anaesthesia

Phrin Vernon RVN — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 20:00:39 GMT

Thanks Gillian - I'm glad iso was the best way for the rat, as it was such a sweet wee thing and I got rather attached!

We did have a good seal around its head, but I must admit I just turned off the iso each time we removed the mask - I did place it open end down on the table though

We were tring to extract the incisors as the rat has a long standing ongoing problem with them, and was booked in for extraction by a partner - In the end though we had to admit defeat and just burr them down, as it was taking forever, with little progress, which wasn't good for patient or staff!

Re: Rat Anaesthesia

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:51:28 GMT

I also find isoflurane to be the easiest and safest way to knock out rats. Howver, there are a couple of ways to minimise problems:

ensure a tight seal of the mask around the rat's head
turn off the oxygen before each and every time the mask is removed from rattie's head, and ideally place the mask open-end down on the table to reduce environmental leakage

I usually find dental work in rats doesn't take long. I have never tried to intubate them.