Restraint and anaesthesia of primates.

The methods available for the restraint and anaesthesia of captive primates are discussed, emphasising the differences between the techniques for primates and those for other mammals; the importance of humane methods of physical restraint is emphasised. The agents available for chemical restraint and surgical anaesthesia are considered in terms of their ease of administration, the dose rate required, speed of induction and recovery, analgesic properties, muscle relaxation and side effects. New agents are available which are potentially useful in primates.