Rat Blood Pressure 
DEMO
Preparation
If you have read the introduction section you should now be aware of the Home Office regulations covering experiments on live animals.
This section covers the preparation of the animal for the experiment and includes:
- anaesthetisation (which anaesthetic, how it is administered, and how to test for depth of anaesthesia);
- cannulation of the trachea, jugular vein and carotid artery;
- maintenance of body temperature.
Some of the drugs in the list below may be used to induce and maintain anaesthesia in the rat whilst others may not.
How should each one be administered?
Halothane
Tubocurarine
Pentobarbitone
Morphine
Thiobutabarbitone
Chloralose
Urethane
Pentobarbitone
Thiobutabarbitone
Halothane
A potent anaesthetic in 1-3% concentration. A risk of toxicity in humans especially from long term low level exposure. Must be used with scavenging systems (a system which removes and absorbs expired or unwanted halothane vapours).
Pentobarbitone
Given in solution lasts 1-3 hours depending on dose and route. Works within 20 sec i.v. and takes 1-3 min i.p. Dose 50 mg/kg.
Thiobutabarbitone
Given in solution lasts 5-10 hours depending on route and dose. Takes 20 sec i.v. and 2-6 min i.p. Dose 180 mg/kg i.p.
Urethane
Not very potent. Dose 1.25 g/kg (6 ml/kg of a 25% solution). Carcinogenic in man; use with care, do not allow contact with skin. Long lasting (non recovery) anaesthetic. Takes 10-20 min i.p.
Tubocurarine
Not an anaesthetic. Produces paralysis NOT anaesthesia or analgesia. NOT permitted to be administered to anaesthetised animals without special permission from Home Office.
Morphine
Not an anaesthetic. Produces analgesia but given alone would be unlikely to provide adequate anaesthesia for surgery to be undertaken. Severe respiratory depression produced.
Chloralose
This would be unusual in rodents where chloralose is sometimes convulsant and difficult to control. It is possible to use this agent either i.v. or i.p. but not easy and there are better agents. In cats good anaesthesia is obtained.