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Measurement of aversion to determine humane methods of anaesthesia and euthanasia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

MC Leach ,
VA Bowell ,
TF Allan  and
DB Morton
MC Leach*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol B540 5DU, UK
VA Bowell
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Behaviour Sciences, Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
TF Allan
Affiliation:
City University, Northampton Square, London ECIV 0HB, UK
DB Morton
Affiliation:
Biomedical Services Unit, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: m.c.leach@bris.ac.uk
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Abstract

The distress experienced by animals during the induction of unconsciousness remains one of the most important and yet overlooked aspects of effective methods of anaesthesia and euthanasia. Here we show that considerable differences exist in the aversive responses elicited by 12 common methods of inhalational anaesthesia and euthanasia in laboratory rats and mice. Carbon dioxide, either alone or in combination with oxygen or argon, was found to be highly aversive to both species. The least aversive agents were halothane in rats and enflurane in mice. Exposing these animals to carbon dioxide in any form, either for anaesthesia or for euthanasia, is likely to cause considerable pain and distress and is therefore unacceptable when efficient and more humane alternatives are readily available.

Keywords

anaesthesiaanimal welfareaversioncarbon dioxideeuthanasiarodent
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 13 , Issue S1: Science in the Service of Animal Welfare: Proceedings of the UFAW International Symposium, Edinburgh, 2-4 April 2003 , February 2004 , pp. S77 - S86
Copyright
© 2004 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

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