Animal Preparation

The eyes of animals under general anesthesia remain open and the corneal surface will dry out if not protected. Ophthalmic ointment must be placed in the eyes of anesthetized animals to prevent corneal injury. Aseptic surgical preparation includes removal of the hair surrounding the incision site by clipping, plucking or depilatories. This must take place in an area separate from the location of surgery.

Cleaning the surgical site

The clipped incision area should be cleaned ("scrubbed") with a non-irritating, germicidal soap such as povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine and rinsed with 70% isopropyl alcohol. The scrub/rinse procedure may be repeated, however, extended contact time with wet cleaning agents increases body heat loss in rodents and contributes to hypothermia. Scrubbing should follow a circular pattern that begins at the incision site and gradually moves outward in concentric circles, as illustrated in the diagram below. A new sterile cotton swab or gauze pad must be used with each scrub/rinse circle. It is critical that rodents are not soaked with water or alcohol, which can lead to hypothermia.

Protection from hypothermia

Rodents lose body heat quickly during anesthesia. For all procedures, insulate the rodent from underlying cold surfaces. If an animal will be anesthetized for more than 5 to 10 minutes (including recovery time), it should be placed on a warm surface. Warm water circulating pads or other rodent warming devices can help prevent hypothermia during and after surgery. Electric heating pads are not recommended due to variations in surface temperature that may cause burns or overheating of animals.

Proceed to Conducting Surgery