Pocket Pet · Rattus norvegicus var. domestica · typical adult weight 0.25–0.70 kg
Isoflurane is dosed at 2–5 % inhaled (induction setting) inhalation induction, then maintenance 0.25-4% in pet rats, per 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). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350. Isoflurane is used in pet rats for Inhalant anesthesia. Routes documented in pet rats: inhalation. A typical adult pet rat weighs 0.25–0.70 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Isoflurane in pet rats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: IsoFlo, Forane
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| inhalation | 2–5 % inhaled (induction setting) | induction, then maintenance 0.25-4% | The book prints induction and maintenance in ONE cell: '2-5% induction then 0.25-4% maintenance'. dose_low/dose_high hold the induction range only; the maintenance range 0.25-4% is carried in the frequency and here so it is not lost. | Inhalant anesthesia | Moderate | 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). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, ; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (%) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2–5 | — | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 9.3 | 2-5% induction then 0.25-4% maintenance,81,114,122,146 |
| 0.25–4 | — | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 9.3 | 2-5% induction then 0.25-4% maintenance,81,114,122,146 |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.
Need the exact dose for your patient?
Enter your pet rat's weight to check these cited ranges in the calculator — unit and concentration math done for you.
Enhances inhibitory GABA-A receptors and blocks excitatory NMDA receptors, producing dose-dependent general anesthesia.
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-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for pet rats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Isoflurane dose range in pet rats, with cited source references: inhalation 2–5 % inhaled (induction setting) induction, then maintenance 0.25-4%. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Isoflurane in pet rats: inhalation.
Cited course lengths for Isoflurane in pet rats include: The book prints induction and maintenance in ONE cell: '2-5% induction then 0.25-4% maintenance'. dose_low/dose_high hold the induction range only; the maintenance range 0.25-4% is carried in the frequency and here so it is not lost.. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Isoflurane is indicated in pet rats for: Inhalant anesthesia.
These are general warnings for Isoflurane across species; consult the pet rat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. 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.
Why a species-specific page? Isoflurane pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in pet rats — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.