A comparison of sevoflurane and isoflurane for short-term anesthesia in polecats (Mustela eversmanni)

Twenty-four Siberian polecats (Mustela eversmanni) from 12 litters were anesthetized with either inhaled sevoflurane or isoflurane. With 7% delivered sevoflurane and 5% delivered isoflurane, time to loss of righting reflex (mean +/- SE) with sevoflurane (1.9 +/- 0.1 min) was significantly shorter compared with isoflurane (2.6 +/- 0.1 min). During maintenance at a light plane of anesthesia, systolic arterial pressure was significantly higher with sevoflurane (83 +/- 2 mm Hg) compared with isoflurane (66 +/- 2 mm Hg), and heart rate was significantly lower with sevoflurane (191 +/- 3 beats/min) compared with isoflurane (204 +/- 3 beats/min). There was no difference in respiratory rate jugular venous pH, pCO3, HCO3-, base excess, or recovery of righting reflex. Induction of anesthesia is more rapid and blood pressure is better maintained with sevoflurane compared with isoflurane; therefore, sevoflurane may be less stressful and safer. Inhaled sevoflurane should be an appropriate anesthetic for black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) in laboratory and field conditions.