Respiratory mechanics of a small carnivore: the ferret

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Abstract
The ferret, M. putorius furo, is a small, relatively inexpensive carnivore with minimal housing requirements. Measurements were made from anesthetized, tracheotomized, supine males. Values obtained during tidal breathing for 6 animals (576 .+-. 12 g) were as follows: tidal volume, 6.06 .+-. 0.30 ml; respiratory frequency, 26.7 .+-. 3.9 breaths min-1; dynamic lung compliance, 2.48 .+-. 0.21 ml/cm H2O; pulmonary resistance, 22.56 .+-. 1.61 cm H2O.cntdot.l-1.cntdot.s. Pressure-volume curves from 9 ferrets revealed almost infinitely compliant chest walls so that lung and total respiratory system curves were essentially the same. Total lung capacity (TLC, 89 .+-. 5 ml) and functional residual capacity (17.8 .+-. 2.0 ml) were determined by gas freeing the lungs in vivo. The TLC of these ferrets is about the same as in 2.5-kg rabbits. Maximum expiratory flow-volume curves showed peak flows of 10.1 vital capacities (VC) .cntdot. s-1 at 75% VC and flows of 8.4 and 5.4 VC .cntdot. s-1 at 50 and 25% VC.

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