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Clinical Trial
. 2008 Jan;47(1):11-7.

Safety and efficacy of various combinations of injectable anesthetics in BALB/c mice

Sandra Buitrago  1 , Thomas E Martin, Joanne Tetens-Woodring, Alan Belicha-Villanueva, Gregory E Wilding
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Safety and efficacy of various combinations of injectable anesthetics in BALB/c mice

Sandra Buitrago et al. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 2008 Jan.

Abstract

Four combinations of drugs--ketamine-xylazine, ketamine-xylazine-acepromazine (KXA), ketamine-xylazine-buprenorphine, and ketamine-xylazine-carprofen--were compared for their ability to produce anesthesia in BALB/c mice. Induction time, anesthetic duration, blood pressure, pulse rate, and time to recovery were recorded. The anesthesia induced by each anesthetic combination was assessed by using reflex responses to standardized stimuli. The KXA combination produced stable physiologic parameters and was associated with the longest duration of anesthesia (40 +/- 8 min); immobility was produced in all other groups (38 +/- 5 min), but a surgical plane of anesthesia could not be confirmed. All anesthetic protocols produced significant hypotension. No deaths occurred. We recommend KXA as a safe and reliable anesthetic for mice requiring a surgical plane of anesthesia.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Animal anesthetized and placed in blood-pressure analysis system for monitoring of blood pressure and pulse rate. The platform is maintained at a constant temperature of 98 °F.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
A metal clip was added to forceps to ensure a standardized stimulus for inducing pedal reflexes.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Mean arterial pressure (MAP) in mice over time after administration of 4 anesthetic combinations. Time 0 indicates onset of loss of righting reflex. Groups KXA, KXB, and KXC showed significant (P < 0.05) differences from the control group (KX). The normotensive value in a conscious animal that was used for comparison was 119.7 ± 3.3 mm Hg.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Pulse rates in mice over time after administration of 4 anesthetic combinations. Time 0 indicates onset of loss of righting reflex. Bradycardia was seen after all of the anesthetic combinations. The normal pulse rate of a conscious animal as measured with the blood pressure analysis system is 550 ± 7 beats per minute (bpm).
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