STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE For HALOTHANE/MINERAL OIL ANESTHETIC USE

COMPARATIVE MEDICINE LABORATORY ANIMAL FACILITIES

  1. Purpose:
    This procedure details how to use a halothane/mineral oil mixture to anesthetize rodents.
  2. Scope:
    This procedure applies to all CM-LAF and PI personnel approved for this method of anesthesia.
  3. Procedure:
    1. Materials needed:
      1. Halothane
      2. Heavy or light mineral oil
      3. Bell jar (with grate)
      4. Cotton balls
      5. Nose cone (1-10 cc syringe casing)
      6. Fume hood (This procedure must be performed in a chemically approved fume hood.)
    2. Under a fume hood place 7.5 mls Halothane into a mixing jar with a sealable lid (preferably glass).
    3. Mix 40 mls light or heavy mineral oil into the Halothane.
    4. Mix well.
    5. Soak '/2 cotton ball (usually requires 4.5 mls) with the anesthetic mixture.
    6. Place the soaked cotton ball beneath the grating in the bell jar. (A bell jar with a grating is extremely important to minimize animal/anesthetic contact.)
      1. Soak 1/4 of a cotton ball with the anesthetic mixture and place inside the nose cone.
      2. Invert the nose cone to maintain the anesthetic gas inside.
    7. Place animal inside the bell jar and close cover.
    8. Watch the animal closely and remove from the bell jar once the animal has become sedated. (Usually rolls to lateral recumbancy.)
    9. Maintain the animal's anesthetic state outside the bell jar by placing its nose inside the previously prepared nose cone.
    10. The distance between the animal's nose and the soaked cotton ball is directly proportional.
      1. Monitor anesthetic depth by respiration rate and toe pinch response.
      2. Adjust the anesthetic depth by changing the nose/cotton ball distance or by adding more anesthetic mixture to the cotton ball.
    11. After accomplishing procedure on the anesthetized animal, remove the nose cone and allow the animal to breathe room air. Blowing air into the animal's face helps to remove the Halothane vapors and hastens the animal's recovery. The animal should be attempting to walk within one minute.
    12. Submit necessary anesthesia/operating/recovery form to the CM-LAF staff