Hi All,
 
I called and talked to our vet on this subject and their response was a bit
enlightening, to say the lest.  Ketamine is a Tranquilizer, often used with
or in place of Valium, for the same reasons similar drugs are given to
humans, prior to surgery - to help calm then down.  Animals, like most
people, get really freaked-out, when a mask is forced over their mouth and
nose.
 
Our vet uses Ketamine on only the largest animals, the rest go into a small
Plexiglas tank, (like an aquarium with a lid), were the Isoflurine, or other
gas, is administered with O2, into the tank.  Once the animal is asleep, or
too groggy to care, then the masks are placed over their face.
 
Or, in the case of ferrets, (and other small animals), a small tube is
inserted into the lungs directly, for the Isoflurine/O2 mix to be
administered.
 
Without the use of the tank, something must be given to a ferret to knock
him out, or you'll never get the tube in, and could really hurt the ferret
physically and mentally.  This is when the Ketamine was used, and with such
a small body mass, a slight overdose is not uncommon.  The effect of the
Isoflurine, or other gas, that came next, was often enough to push them,
"over the edge."
 
Now, only animals over 90 pounds and unruly get a dose of Ketamine, at our
vet.  All the rest go into the "tank," first.  If your vet doesn't have or
use a "tank," find one that does.  The less drugs in your ferret during an
operation the better.
 
--
- John Watson - And the Fantastic Five: Mudfoot and Ollie, and the new guys:
   Zoe, Alya and Durk.
[Posted in FML issue 2251]