Veterinary Anaesthetic Agents Quiz

Veterinary Anaesthetic Agents and Their Clinical Use

• Cats have a slower metabolism and are less able to conjugate with glucuronide, making them unsuitable for IV infusions of Propofol.
• Propofol causes rapid loss of consciousness in the central nervous system (CNS) and mild hypotension in the cardiovascular system (CVS).
• Alfaxalone is a steroid anaesthetic with rapid onset and short duration, licensed for use in dogs, cats, and rabbits, and is administered IV to induce and maintain anaesthesia.
• Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic and analgesic that can be given IV, IM, or SC, and should not be used as a sole agent for anaesthesia due to its potential for convulsions and hallucinations.
• Intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) is used when inhalational anaesthetic agents are not available, or when the airway cannot be shared, such as in bronchoscopy or some airway surgeries.
• Propofol or alfaxalone are suitable for TIVA in dogs, while only alfaxalone is suitable for cats, and a "triple drip" of an α2-agonist plus GGE plus ketamine is popular for field anaesthesia in horses.
• The choice between propofol and alfaxalone is based on personal preference and cost, while ketamine may be chosen in cases of aggressive patients or haemodynamic instability.
• Inhalational anaesthetic agents, such as halothane, isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane, are typically used for maintenance of anaesthesia due to their rapid adjustability and elimination.
• Minimum Alveolar Concentration (MAC) is used to compare the potency of different inhaled anaesthetics and is the steady-state minimum alveolar concentration required to prevent gross purposeful movement in response to noxious stimulation in 50% of test subjects.
• MAC values vary between different inhaled anaesthetics, with desflurane requiring the lowest concentration in dogs and cats.
• Ketamine is used to induce anaesthesia in dogs, cats, and horses, and to provide analgesia in dogs and cats, but should be used with caution in patients with a history of seizures or elevated intracranial pressure.
• Total Intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) is the use of intravenous anaesthetics to both induce and maintain anaesthesia, and can be used in cases where inhalational anaesthetic agents are not available or when the airway cannot be shared, such as in bronchoscopy or some airway surgeries.

Veterinary Anaesthetic Agents and Their Clinical Use

• Cats have a slower metabolism and are less able to conjugate with glucuronide, making them unsuitable for IV infusions of Propofol.
• Propofol causes rapid loss of consciousness in the central nervous system (CNS) and mild hypotension in the cardiovascular system (CVS).
• Alfaxalone is a steroid anaesthetic with rapid onset and short duration, licensed for use in dogs, cats, and rabbits, and is administered IV to induce and maintain anaesthesia.
• Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic and analgesic that can be given IV, IM, or SC, and should not be used as a sole agent for anaesthesia due to its potential for convulsions and hallucinations.
• Intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) is used when inhalational anaesthetic agents are not available, or when the airway cannot be shared, such as in bronchoscopy or some airway surgeries.
• Propofol or alfaxalone are suitable for TIVA in dogs, while only alfaxalone is suitable for cats, and a "triple drip" of an α2-agonist plus GGE plus ketamine is popular for field anaesthesia in horses.
• The choice between propofol and alfaxalone is based on personal preference and cost, while ketamine may be chosen in cases of aggressive patients or haemodynamic instability.
• Inhalational anaesthetic agents, such as halothane, isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane, are typically used for maintenance of anaesthesia due to their rapid adjustability and elimination.
• Minimum Alveolar Concentration (MAC) is used to compare the potency of different inhaled anaesthetics and is the steady-state minimum alveolar concentration required to prevent gross purposeful movement in response to noxious stimulation in 50% of test subjects.
• MAC values vary between different inhaled anaesthetics, with desflurane requiring the lowest concentration in dogs and cats.
• Ketamine is used to induce anaesthesia in dogs, cats, and horses, and to provide analgesia in dogs and cats, but should be used with caution in patients with a history of seizures or elevated intracranial pressure.
• Total Intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) is the use of intravenous anaesthetics to both induce and maintain anaesthesia, and can be used in cases where inhalational anaesthetic agents are not available or when the airway cannot be shared, such as in bronchoscopy or some airway surgeries.