Effect of anesthetic agents on lavage fluid parameters used as indicators of pulmonary injury

The effect of the anesthetic agent used in killing animals in an in vivo pulmonary toxicity screening test was examined in Fischer-344 rats and in Syrian hamsters. Using animals killed by cervical dislocation with no anesthesia as a baseline, two types of anesthetic agents (halothane, sodium pentobarbital) and carbon dioxide were tested. Carbon dioxide caused the greatest perturbance of baseline lavage fluid and tissue parameters normally used in the screening test. Halothane anesthesia caused the least perturbance in the screening test parameters and was selected as the anesthetic of choice for use in future pulmonary toxicity tests.