PIL AB EXAM PREP – PIL A & B
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY NOTES
(UPDATED 2025)
Local, reversible loss of sensation without loss of consciousness - correct answers
✔✔What is local anaesthesia?
Administration of drugs that produce a loss of consciousness - correct answers
✔✔What is general anaesthesia?
EMLA
Prevent pain or discomfort associated with venepuncture - correct answers ✔✔Name a
local anaesthetic cream and its common use
To provide immobility so the animal does not displace catheters or move during imaging
procedures.
,To prevent pain during experimental procedures.
To prevent distress during physical restraint - correct answers ✔✔In what
circumstances would you anaesthetise an animal?
Reduction - minimise death due to poor anaesthetic technique
Refinement - minimise pain - correct answers ✔✔Which of the three Rs are relevant to
use of anaesthesia?
It depresses them - correct answers ✔✔What affect does anaesthesia have on the
cardiovascular and respiratory systems?
Alterations in immune function, metastatic rates of tumours, changes in organ blood
flow distribution, competition for enzyme pathways, interaction with receptors and
changes in gastrointestinal motility - correct answers ✔✔What effects can anaesthesia
have which might disrupt particular research projects?
No as they cannot vomit - correct answers ✔✔Do mice need to fast before use of
anaesthesia?
Loss of sensation
Loss of consciousness
Production of muscle relaxation - correct answers ✔✔What is the triad of anaesthesia?
They are simple to administer
Induction (onset) of anaesthesia is usually smooth and rapid.
It is easy to change the depth of anaesthesia
Recovery is usually rapid (within 10-15 minutes) and uneventful - correct answers
✔✔List the advantages of inhalational anaesthesia
The equipment needed for their safe use is relatively expensive
It is usually possible to anaesthetise only one animal at a time
Waste anaesthetic gases must be removed for health and safety reasons - correct
answers ✔✔List the disadvantages of inhalational anaesthesia
Multiple animals can be anaesthetised at the same time (provided you can monitor them
effectively).
Injectable anaesthetics do not require the use of specialist equipment, but it is important
to be able to deliver oxygen as many of these agents cause respiratory depression. -
correct answers ✔✔List the advantages of injectable anaesthesia
Once the anaesthetic has been administered the dose cannot be changed.
There is individual variability in the response to a given dose of anaesthetic.
Since the dose of anaesthetic needed by individual animals varies, the best way to give
these agents is by intravenous injection. This is the preferred route for administering
injectable anaesthetics as it allows the dose to be adjusted to match the particular
, animal's requirements. Unfortunately, it can be technically difficult to use this route in
small rodents, so most injectable anaesthetics are given by intraperitoneal or
subcutaneous injection in these species. - correct answers ✔✔List the disadvantages of
injectable anaesthesia
Medetomidine - correct answers ✔✔What is ketamine combined with when used as an
anaesthetic?
It takes about 5-10 minutes for anaesthesia to develop after intramuscular
administration. Can cause pain on administration in small rodents as the muscle mass
is so small relative to the volume to be injected. Some agents are irritant and can cause
muscle damage ( e.g. Ketamine ). - correct answers ✔✔What are the considerations
when using intramuscular injection of anaesthesia?
Ideal as the dose can be adjusted to be appropriate for the individual animal, and to
produce the depth of anaesthesia required. Unfortunately intravenous injection is
technically demanding in small rodents. - correct answers ✔✔What are the
considerations when using intravenous injection of anaesthesia?
This is one of the most widely used means of giving injectable anaesthetics to rodents,
but in 5-10% of cases not all of the injected anaesthetic is delivered intraperitoneally. If
a large proportion is delivered into the fat or intestines, then an inadequate anaesthetic
effect will be produced. Not all anaesthetics are suitable for administration by this route -
correct answers ✔✔What are the considerations when using intraperitoneal injection of
anaesthesia?
It takes 5 - 15 minutes for anaesthesia to develop after subcutaneous administration. It
may be less stressful and produce more consistent results than use of the intramuscular
or intraperitoneal routes. Not all anaesthetics are suitable for administration by this
route. - correct answers ✔✔What are the considerations when using subcutaneous
injection of anaesthesia?
60-180mins
(20-30mins if using certain anaesthetics intravenously) - correct answers ✔✔How long
does it typically take for animals to recover from injectable anaesthesia?
it undergoes almost no bio-transformation and is almost completely eliminated in
exhaled air. This suggests that there will be little effect on liver microsomal enzymes
and, hence, minimal interference in drug metabolism or toxicology studies - correct
answers ✔✔What is the advantage of using isoflurane?
the even greater ease of matching the depth of anaesthesia to the degree of surgical
stimulation, coupled with very rapid and smooth recovery - correct answers ✔✔What is
the advantage of using sevoflurane?
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY NOTES
(UPDATED 2025)
Local, reversible loss of sensation without loss of consciousness - correct answers
✔✔What is local anaesthesia?
Administration of drugs that produce a loss of consciousness - correct answers
✔✔What is general anaesthesia?
EMLA
Prevent pain or discomfort associated with venepuncture - correct answers ✔✔Name a
local anaesthetic cream and its common use
To provide immobility so the animal does not displace catheters or move during imaging
procedures.
,To prevent pain during experimental procedures.
To prevent distress during physical restraint - correct answers ✔✔In what
circumstances would you anaesthetise an animal?
Reduction - minimise death due to poor anaesthetic technique
Refinement - minimise pain - correct answers ✔✔Which of the three Rs are relevant to
use of anaesthesia?
It depresses them - correct answers ✔✔What affect does anaesthesia have on the
cardiovascular and respiratory systems?
Alterations in immune function, metastatic rates of tumours, changes in organ blood
flow distribution, competition for enzyme pathways, interaction with receptors and
changes in gastrointestinal motility - correct answers ✔✔What effects can anaesthesia
have which might disrupt particular research projects?
No as they cannot vomit - correct answers ✔✔Do mice need to fast before use of
anaesthesia?
Loss of sensation
Loss of consciousness
Production of muscle relaxation - correct answers ✔✔What is the triad of anaesthesia?
They are simple to administer
Induction (onset) of anaesthesia is usually smooth and rapid.
It is easy to change the depth of anaesthesia
Recovery is usually rapid (within 10-15 minutes) and uneventful - correct answers
✔✔List the advantages of inhalational anaesthesia
The equipment needed for their safe use is relatively expensive
It is usually possible to anaesthetise only one animal at a time
Waste anaesthetic gases must be removed for health and safety reasons - correct
answers ✔✔List the disadvantages of inhalational anaesthesia
Multiple animals can be anaesthetised at the same time (provided you can monitor them
effectively).
Injectable anaesthetics do not require the use of specialist equipment, but it is important
to be able to deliver oxygen as many of these agents cause respiratory depression. -
correct answers ✔✔List the advantages of injectable anaesthesia
Once the anaesthetic has been administered the dose cannot be changed.
There is individual variability in the response to a given dose of anaesthetic.
Since the dose of anaesthetic needed by individual animals varies, the best way to give
these agents is by intravenous injection. This is the preferred route for administering
injectable anaesthetics as it allows the dose to be adjusted to match the particular
, animal's requirements. Unfortunately, it can be technically difficult to use this route in
small rodents, so most injectable anaesthetics are given by intraperitoneal or
subcutaneous injection in these species. - correct answers ✔✔List the disadvantages of
injectable anaesthesia
Medetomidine - correct answers ✔✔What is ketamine combined with when used as an
anaesthetic?
It takes about 5-10 minutes for anaesthesia to develop after intramuscular
administration. Can cause pain on administration in small rodents as the muscle mass
is so small relative to the volume to be injected. Some agents are irritant and can cause
muscle damage ( e.g. Ketamine ). - correct answers ✔✔What are the considerations
when using intramuscular injection of anaesthesia?
Ideal as the dose can be adjusted to be appropriate for the individual animal, and to
produce the depth of anaesthesia required. Unfortunately intravenous injection is
technically demanding in small rodents. - correct answers ✔✔What are the
considerations when using intravenous injection of anaesthesia?
This is one of the most widely used means of giving injectable anaesthetics to rodents,
but in 5-10% of cases not all of the injected anaesthetic is delivered intraperitoneally. If
a large proportion is delivered into the fat or intestines, then an inadequate anaesthetic
effect will be produced. Not all anaesthetics are suitable for administration by this route -
correct answers ✔✔What are the considerations when using intraperitoneal injection of
anaesthesia?
It takes 5 - 15 minutes for anaesthesia to develop after subcutaneous administration. It
may be less stressful and produce more consistent results than use of the intramuscular
or intraperitoneal routes. Not all anaesthetics are suitable for administration by this
route. - correct answers ✔✔What are the considerations when using subcutaneous
injection of anaesthesia?
60-180mins
(20-30mins if using certain anaesthetics intravenously) - correct answers ✔✔How long
does it typically take for animals to recover from injectable anaesthesia?
it undergoes almost no bio-transformation and is almost completely eliminated in
exhaled air. This suggests that there will be little effect on liver microsomal enzymes
and, hence, minimal interference in drug metabolism or toxicology studies - correct
answers ✔✔What is the advantage of using isoflurane?
the even greater ease of matching the depth of anaesthesia to the degree of surgical
stimulation, coupled with very rapid and smooth recovery - correct answers ✔✔What is
the advantage of using sevoflurane?
