The choice of anesthesia should be made with care and after consultation with the animal facility staff. Neither diethyl ether nor chloroform should be used for anesthesia or euthanasia of laboratory animals.
Chloroform is a potent hepatotoxin and a suspect human carcinogen.
The introduction of ether to cold rooms, refrigerators and freezers and to an incinerator via animal carcasses presents additional, very real, hazards. Volatile chemicals for anesthesia or euthanasia should be used only in the presence of adequate ventilation, i.e., a fume hood or closed system with scavenger designed for this purpose. Compliance with this requirement is vital when working with halothane derivatives since they have been shown to have exceptionally adverse effects on some individuals. If you must use inhalants for anesthesia or euthanasia, enfluorane or isofluorane are less toxic to humans than other halothanes and they provide excellent control of narcosis. Isoflurane rather than halothane is recommended for anesthesia when delivered with a precision vaporizer.