Comparison of ketamine and pentobarbital anesthesia in the Mongolian gerbil

The clinical course of pentobarbital and ketamine anesthesia are compared following a single injection of each and as anesthesia for carotid ligation in the Mongolian gerbil. Induction time to pinprick insensitivity was found to be the same for each agent; however, ketamine allowed earlier emergence and, moreover, observation of peripheral motor activity during the operative procedure.