Sedation and Anesthesia of Amphibians

Amphibians commonly are managed under human care for research, education, conservation, and companionship and frequently are in need of sedation, anesthesia, or end-of-life care involving euthanasia. Objective investigation of sedative and anesthetic protocols in these taxa still is in its infancy, but knowledge of current best practices is paramount to appropriate care. Tricaine methanesulfonate delivered via immersion (bath) is the most common anesthetic agent in amphibians, but several other effective techniques have been identified. This summary provides a comprehensive review of the current evidence-based literature regarding amphibian sedative, anesthetic, and euthanasia techniques.