Anesthesia and analgesia in reptiles

This chapter is intended as a concise review of reptilian species in common laboratory use, with options for their anesthesia and analgesia. Availability of detailed protocols for reptile anesthesia, both injectable and inhaled, has improved markedly over the last few decades, allowing a more balanced approach as well as responding to peri-anesthetic concerns such as appropriate ventilation, acid-base and temperature maintenance. While reptiles' physiology renders them generally robust, understanding the interplay of their anatomy and physiology with anesthesia will yield dividends not only for the individual animal, but also the data generated from their use. For more detailed information and a wider species range, readers are directed to (Doss et al., 2021; Doss and Sladky, 2021; Schnellbacher et al., 2019) and for wider formulary to (Klaphake et al., 2018).