Table 2.
Recommended Injectable Anesthetic Protocols
| Anesthetic Protocol | Route of Administration | References | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anesthetic protocols for immobilization or imaging | Ketamine 80–100 mg/kg Xylazine 8–10 mg/kg | IP | 36,76,77,323,324 |
| Ketamine 100 mg/kg Xylazine 10 mg/kg Carprofen 4 mg/kg | IP | 36 | |
| Ketamine 100 mg/kg Xylazine 10 mg/kg Buprenorphine 0.3 mg/kg | IP | 36 | |
| Tribromoethanol 250–300 mg/kg | IP | 324–326 | |
| Anesthetic protocols for surgical plane | Ketamine 80–100 mg/kg Xylazine 8–20 mg/kg Acepromazine 1–3 mg/kg | IP | 36,75,77 |
| Males: Alfaxalone 80–120 mg/kg Xylazine 10 mg/kg Females: Alfaxalone 40–80 mg/kg Xylazine 10 mg/kg | IP if NOT doing a laparotomy or entering peritoneal cavity SQ if doing a laparotomy or entering the peritoneal cavity | 98,100 | |
| Alfaxalone 30–60 mg/kg Medetomidine 0.5–0.75 mg/kg Butorphanol 5 mg/kg | SQ | 63,99 | |
| Medetomidine 0.3 mg/kg Midazolam 4 mg/kg Butorphanol 5 mg/kg | IP | 84,85,105,106 | |
| Tribromoethanol 250–500 mg/kg | IP | 62,107,110,327 |
The table includes published anesthetic protocols and dosing for mice for either immobilization and imaging procedures, or procedures requiring a surgical plane of anesthesia. It is important to remember that there are many factors that will affect the final optimal dose for each group and experiment, including the strain, age, and gender of the mice; amount of surgical stimulation; duration of the procedure; and experience of the surgeon. We recommend giving a range of doses on the IACUC protocol to allow for doses to be easily adjusted to optimize the anesthetic protocol. IP = intraperitoneal; SQ = subcutaneous.