Veterinary Anaesthesia

About the Authors viii
Preface ix
Acknowledgements x
About the Companion Website xi

1 Concepts and Mechanisms of General Anaesthesia 1
2 Patient Safety 6
3 Pain 17
4 Sedation and Premedication: Small Animals 64
5 Injectable Anaesthetic Agents 87
6 Intravascular Catheters/Cannulae: Some Considerations and Complications 107
7 Inhalation Anaesthetic Agents 127
8 Anaesthetic Breathing Systems and Airway Devices 148
9 Anaesthetic Machines, Vaporisers and Gas Cylinders 180
10 Anaesthetic Machine Checks 201
11 Sustainability 204
12 Local Anaesthetics 217
13 Local Anaesthetic Techniques for the Head: Small Animals 232
14 Local Anaesthetic Techniques for the Limbs: Small Animals 244
15 Miscellaneous Local Anaesthetic Techniques: Small Animals 269
16 Local Anaesthetic Techniques: Horses 277
17 Muscle Relaxants 293
18 Monitoring Animals During General Anaesthesia 315
19 Troubleshooting Some of the Problems Encountered in Anaesthetised Patients 345
20 Inadvertent Peri-operative Hypothermia 351
21 Blood Gas Analysis 360
22 Lactate 377
23 Fluid Therapy 387
24 Electrolytes 423
25 Drugs Affecting the Cardiovascular System 440
26 Shock 451
27 Canine Gastric Dilation/Volvulus (GDV) 477
28 Equine Sedation and Premedication 481
29 Equine Heart Murmurs 497
30 Equine Anaesthesia 499
31 Equine Intravenous Anaesthesia in the Field and Standing Chemical Restraint 537
32 Donkeys 542
33 Ruminants: Local and General Anaesthesia 545
34 Lamoids (South American Camelids) 583
35 Pigs: Sedation and Anaesthesia 593
36 Rabbit Anaesthesia 607
37 Neonatal/Paediatric Patients 614
38 Senescent/Geriatric Patients 618
39 Pregnancy and Caesarean Sections 623
40 Obesity Considerations 630
41 Dental and Oral Considerations 635
42 Ocular Surgery Considerations 639
43 Orthopaedic and Spinal Neurosurgery Considerations 644
44 Renal Considerations 649
45 Hepatic Considerations 654
46 Endocrine Considerations 660
vi Contents47 Background to Neuroanaesthesia for the Brain 669
48 Cardiac Considerations 678
49 Respiratory Considerations 684
50 Respiratory Emergencies 690
51 Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) 708

Appendix A Canine Emergency Drug Doses 721
Appendix B Feline Emergency Drug Doses 725
Appendix C Equine Emergency Drug Doses 729
Answers to Self-test Questions 731
Index 740

Alexandra Dugdale, PhD, MA, VetMB, DVA, DipECVAA, PGCert(LTHE), FHEA, FRCVS, holds both the RCVS and ECVAA Diplomas in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. She is currently a veterinary anaesthesia consultant for small and large animals.
Carl Bradbrook, BVSc, CertVA, DipECVAA, FRCVS, is a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia and an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. In 2026, he took up the post of Head of Medical Operations for Mars Veterinary Health (MVH), Singapore.
Matthew Gurney, BVSc, CertVA, PgCertVBM, DipECVAA, FRCVS, is a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia and an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, based at the Veterinary Emergency & Specialty (VES) Hospital, Singapore.