J Zoo Wildlife Med
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Comparative Study
A comparison of sevoflurane and isoflurane for short-term anesthesia in polecats (Mustela eversmanni).
Twenty-four Siberian polecats (Mustela eversmanni) from 12 litters were anesthetized with either inhaled sevoflurane or isoflurane. With 7% delivered sevoflurane and 5% delivered isoflurane, time to loss of righting reflex (mean +/- SE) with sevoflurane (1.9 +/- 0.1 min) was significantly shorter compared with isoflurane (2.6 +/- 0.1 min). ⋯ Induction of anesthesia is more rapid and blood pressure is better maintained with sevoflurane compared with isoflurane; therefore, sevoflurane may be less stressful and safer. Inhaled sevoflurane should be an appropriate anesthetic for black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) in laboratory and field conditions.