General Anesthesia in Pet Rats
Pocket Pet · Rattus norvegicus var. domestica · typical adult weight 0.25–0.70 kg
2 cited drugs treat General Anesthesia in pet rats: Alfaxalone, Propofol.
Induction and maintenance of general anaesthesia. Injectable induction with ketamine, propofol, alfaxalone, or etomidate; inhalational maintenance with isoflurane or sevoflurane. Species-specific airway anatomy and thermoregulation drive plan choice.
The overview above describes General Anesthesia across species; the citations below are the ExoticRx dose rules scoped to pet rats — a reference list, not new species-specific clinical guidance.
Alfaxalone(Alfaxan)
Anesthetic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 2–5 mg/kg | single induction dose | Anesthesia induction | Weak | Lau C, Ranasinghe MG, Shiels I, et al. Plasma pharmacokinetics of alfaxalone after a single intraperitoneal or intravenous injection of Alfaxan® in rats. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2013;36:516-520. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.782 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) |
Propofol(Rapinovet, PropoFlo)
Anesthetic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 7.5–10 mg/kg | single induction dose | Anesthesia induction | Moderate | Glen JB. Animal studies of the anaesthetic activity of ICI 35 868. Br J Anaesth. 1980;52:731-742. | Mayer J. Rodents. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 4th ed., Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2013:476-516. | Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.788 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) |
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice. Verify against current literature before clinical use.