Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.
Isoflurane is dosed at 1.5–3 % (MAC 2.1%) INHALATION Continuous in rabbits, per GillettCS. Selected drug dosages and clinical reference data. In: Manning PJ, Ringler DH, Newcomer CE, eds. The Biology of the Laboratory Rabbit, 2nd ed., Academic Press, San Diego, CA; 1994:467-472. Harkness JE, Wagner JE. The Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents, 4th ed., Williams & Wilkins — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.4 (Chemical Restraint/Sedative/Anesthetic/Analgesic Agents Used in Rabbits.a,b). Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Enhances inhibitory GABA-A receptors and blocks excitatory NMDA receptors, producing dose-dependent general anesthesia.
Side effects & warnings
Most commonly used inhalant anesthetic in veterinary medicine. Dose-dependent hypotension. Minimal hepatic metabolism. Use with precision vaporizer only. Suitable for all species including exotics.
Species with Isoflurane dosing data (8 dose rules)
Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.
Sample dosing (2 of 8 cited rules)
A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 7 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.
· 23. Hawkins SJ, Doss GA, Mans C. Postanesthetic effects of two durations of isoflurane anesthesia in African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris). J Exot Pet Med. 2020;32:27-30. | 28a. Huckins G, Doss GA, Ferreira TH. Evaluation of supraglottic airway device use during inhalation anesthesia in healthy African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris). Vet Anaesth Analg; 2021;48:517-523. | 68. Smith A. General husbandry and medical care of hedgehogs. In: Bonagura JD, eds. Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy XIII: Small Animal Practice; WB Saunders, Philadelphia, PA; 2000:1128-1133. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.739 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 8.4 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Hedgehogs).
· 23. Hawkins SJ, Doss GA, Mans C. Postanesthetic effects of two durations of isoflurane anesthesia in African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris). J Exot Pet Med. 2020;32:27-30. | 28a. Huckins G, Doss GA, Ferreira TH. Evaluation of supraglottic airway device use during inhalation anesthesia in healthy African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris). Vet Anaesth Analg; 2021;48:517-523. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.739 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 8.4 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Hedgehogs).
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· Brust DM, Mans C. Sugar gliders. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2018:432-442. | Johnson-Delaney CA, et al. Sugar gliders. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:385-400. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.708
· GillettCS. Selected drug dosages and clinical reference data. In: Manning PJ, Ringler DH, Newcomer CE, eds. The Biology of the Laboratory Rabbit, 2nd ed., Academic Press, San Diego, CA; 1994:467-472. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-469235-0.50028-2; Harkness JE, Wagner JE. The Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents, 4th ed., Williams & Wilkins — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.4 (Chemical Restraint/Sedative/Anesthetic/Analgesic Agents Used in Rabbits.a,b).
· Hawkins MG, Pascoe PJ. Anesthesia, analgesia and sedation of small mammals. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:536-558. | Huerkamp M. Anesthesia and postoperative management of rabbits and pocket pets. In: Bonagura JD, eds. Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy XII Small Animal Practice; W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA; 1995:1322-1327. | 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. | Rivard AL, Simura KJ, Mohammed S, et al. Rat intubation and ventilation for surgical research. J Invest Surg. 2006;19:267-274. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.784 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents).
· ISOSOL - Isoflurane Liquid [US Product Label for Dogs and Horses]. St Joseph, MO: Vedco, Inc; 2011. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=b69c2259-d7d8-482d-8443-6279d217da0a; Bednarski RM. Chapter 44: Dogs and Cats. In: Grimm KA, Lamont LA, Tranquilli WJ, Greene SA, Robertson SA, eds. Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia: The Fifth Edition of Lumb and Jones. 5th ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2015:819-826. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.695, Isoflurane monograph spanning p.695-697.
· Shaughnessy MR, Hofmeister EH. A systematic review of sevoflurane and isoflurane minimum alveolar concentration in domestic cats. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2014;41(1):1-13. doi:10.1111/vaa.12083 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.695, Isoflurane monograph spanning p.695-697.
Isoflurane (IsoFlo, Forane) Dosage for Rabbits | ExoticRx