Animal Anesthetization Device and Method

Abstract

An animal anesthetization device facilitates anesthetization of an animal, or simultaneous anesthetization of a litter of animals, prior to a procedure such as tail docking, castration, or the like. The device includes a box having a bottom wall and a perimeter wall coupled to and extending upwardly from the bottom wall defining an interior space. A lid is coupled to the box wherein the interior space is selectively enclosed. A valve is coupled to the box. A canister has a dispensing nozzle which is selectively engageable to the valve wherein contents of the canister are dispensed into the interior space of the box. An anesthetizing agent is positioned in the canister and dispensed into the box to anesthetize one or more animals in the box.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An animal anesthetization device comprising:
 a box having a bottom wall and a perimeter wall coupled to and extending upwardly from said bottom wall defining an interior space;   a lid selectively coupled to said box wherein said interior space is enclosed;   a valve coupled to said box;   a canister having a dispensing nozzle, said dispensing nozzle being selectively engageable to said valve wherein contents of said canister are dispensed into said interior space of said box when said dispensing nozzle is engaged to said valve; and   an anesthetizing agent positioned in said canister.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising said valve extending through said lid wherein said canister is in an inverted position when said dispensing nozzle is engaged to said valve. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 said dispensing nozzle being positioned at a bottom of an interior space of said canister when said canister is in said inverted position; and   said anesthetizing agent being a liquid in said canister.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising a restrictor coupled to said valve, said restrictor having an opening therethrough sized such that said anesthetizing agent is dispensed through said restrictor at a pre-selected rate wherein said anesthetizing agent anesthetizes an animal in said interior space of said box. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising said anesthetizing agent being nitrous oxide producing a concentration of between 10% and 50% nitrous oxide within said interior space of said box when said anesthetizing agent is dispersed into said interior space of said box. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising said anesthetizing agent being isoflurane producing a concentration of between 1% and 8% within said interior space of said box when said anesthetizing agent is dispensed into said interior space of said box. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vent aperture extending through said box;   a vent closure coupled to said box, said vent closure selectively sealing said vent aperture wherein said interior space of said box is sealed when said lid is in a closed position and said vent closure is in a closed position; and   an exhaust mechanism coupled to said box, said exhaust mechanism being environmentally coupled to said vent closure wherein gaseous contents of said interior space of said box is vented through said vent aperture when said exhaust mechanism is actuated.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a propellant being positioned in said canister, said propellant facilitating dispensation of said anesthetizing agent from said canister when said dispensing nozzle is coupled to said valve. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a cavity positioned on a dispensing end of said canister, said dispensing nozzle being positioned in said cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an exterior wall of said dispensing nozzle being threaded; and   said valve having complimentary threading wherein said canister is threadedly coupled to said box for dispensing said contents of said canister into said interior space of said box.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising said anesthetizing agent being desflurane producing a concentration of between 1% and 8% within said interior space of said box when said anesthetizing agent is dispensed into said interior space of said box. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising said anesthetizing agent being enflurane producing a concentration of between 1% and 8% within said interior space of said box when said anesthetizing agent is dispensed into said interior space of said box. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising said anesthetizing agent being halothane producing a concentration of between 0.5% and 5% within said interior space of said box when said anesthetizing agent is dispensed into said interior space of said box. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising said anesthetizing agent being sevoflurane producing a concentration of between 0.5% and 5% within said interior space of said box when said anesthetizing agent is dispensed into said interior space of said box. 
     
     
         15 . An animal anesthetizing device comprising:
 a box having a bottom wall and a perimeter wall coupled to and extending upwardly from said bottom wall defining an interior space;   a lid selectively coupled to said box wherein said interior space is enclosed;   a valve coupled to said box, said valve extending through said lid wherein said canister is in an inverted position when said dispensing nozzle is engaged to said valve;   a canister having a dispensing nozzle, said dispensing nozzle being selectively engageable to said valve wherein contents of said canister are dispensed into said interior space of said box when said dispensing nozzle is engaged to said valve, said dispensing nozzle being positioned at a bottom of an interior space of said canister when said canister is in said inverted position;   an anesthetizing agent positioned in said canister, said anesthetizing agent being one anesthetizing agent selected from a group of anesthetizing agents consisting of nitrous oxide, isoflurane, desflurane, enflurane, halothane, and sevoflurane, said anesthetizing agent being a liquid in said canister, said anesthetizing agent producing a concentration of between 10% and 50% nitrous oxide within said interior space of said box when said anesthetizing agent is nitrous oxide dispersed into said interior space of said box, said anesthetizing agent producing a concentration of between 1% and 8% isoflurane within said interior space of said box when said anesthetizing agent is isoflurane dispensed into said interior space of said box, said anesthetizing agent producing a concentration of between 1% and 8% desflurane within said interior space of said box when said anesthetizing agent is desflurane dispensed into said interior space of said box, said anesthetizing agent producing a concentration of between 1% and 8% enflurane within said interior space of said box when said anesthetizing agent is enflurane dispensed into said interior space of said box, said anesthetizing agent producing a concentration of between 0.5% and 5% halothane within said interior space of said box when said anesthetizing agent is halothane dispensed into said interior space of said box, and said anesthetizing agent producing a concentration of between 0.5% and 5% sevoflurane within said interior space of said box when said anesthetizing agent is sevoflurane dispensed into said interior space of said box;   a restrictor coupled to said valve, said restrictor having an opening therethrough sized such that said anesthetizing agent is dispensed through said restrictor as a pre-selected rate wherein said anesthetizing agent anesthetizes an animal in said interior space of said box;   a vent aperture extending through said box;   a vent closure coupled to said box, said vent closure selectively sealing said vent aperture wherein said interior space of said box is sealed when said lid is in a closed position and said vent closure is in a closed position;   an exhaust mechanism coupled to said box, said exhaust mechanism being environmentally coupled to said vent closure wherein gaseous contents of said interior space of said box is vented through said vent aperture when said exhaust mechanism is actuated;   a propellant being positioned in said canister, said propellant facilitating dispensation of said anesthetizing agent from said canister when said dispensing nozzle is coupled to said valve;   a cavity positioned on a dispensing end of said canister, said dispensing nozzle being positioned in said cavity;   an exterior wall of said dispensing nozzle being threaded; and   said valve having complimentary threading wherein said canister is threadedly coupled to said box for dispensing said contents of said canister into said interior space of said box.   
     
     
         16 . A method of anesthetizing an animal, the steps of the method comprising:
 having a box with a sealable interior space, a valve being in environmental communication with said interior space of said box, and a canister having a dispensing nozzle and containing a single effective dose of an anesthetizing agent within said canister;   placing an animal to be anesthetized in said interior space;   sealing said animal within said interior space; and   coupling said canister to said valve wherein said anesthetizing agent is dispensed into said sealed interior space of said box wherein the animal is anesthetized.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , the steps of the method further comprising completely dispensing contents of said canister into said interior space of said box upon coupling of said dispensing nozzle to said valve wherein said contents of said canister provide effective concentrations of said anesthetizing agent relative to a volume of said interior space within said box.