Gabby Musk

Dogs and cats represent only a small proportion of animals used for scientific purposes, but anesthetic and analgesic practices in these species are relatively advanced and more often evidence-based, due to their popularity as companion animals. This chapter discusses the importance of individualized anesthetic planning; pharmacological techniques for sedation and anesthesia including partial intravenous anesthesia, total intravenous anesthesia, and loco-regional anesthesia; and the detection and management of common anesthetic complications. Finally, approaches to the assessment and management of acute and chronic pain in these species are discussed.

In industrialized and developing countries, preterm birth (live delivery before 39 weeks of gestation) is both a leading cause of neonatal death and a major risk factor for respiratory, neurological, and cognitive disabilities in those infants who survive to adolescence. Intrauterine infection is considered a leading cause of preterm birth; data from clinical and experimental studies suggest that in utero infection accounts for upward of 40% of preterm deliveries. This chapter is written with two aims: the first is to provide the reader with an introduction to infection-associated preterm birth, highlighting the importance of animal-based studies in the development of this field; and the second, adopting a practical focus, is designed to provide the reader with technical insight into the use of sheep as a model organism for the study of fetal inflammatory responses to the presence of microbial agonist in the uterine sphere.

Patients with neurological disease may require anaesthesia for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. The manifestations of the neurological condition determine the inherent risk of anaesthesia and whether or not an analgesic plan is required. A balanced anaesthetic approach for patients with neurological disease requires an understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of the underlying disease process. Every technique should aim to achieve unconsciousness, antinociception and muscle relaxation.

Maintenance of normal oxygenation, ventilation and perfusion (the ABC of resuscitation) is essential in the neurological patient to prevent secondary neurological injury or exacerbation of the underlying condition. In addition, correction of hypoxaemia, hypercapnia and poor perfusion are the most important strategies for reducing intracranial pressure (ICP). The type and extent of supportive care required will depend on the cause of respiratory and/or cardiovascular impairment and the severity of disruption to normal oxygenation, ventilation and perfusion. Techniques for maintaining normal respiratory and cardiovascular function and, therefore, adequate oxygen delivery to the tissues are outlined in this chapter.

Pain is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or expressed in terms of such damage. Recognition of the presence of pain and assessment of the severity of pain are essential for optimal management and are integral steps towards appropriate treatment of pain in animals with (and without) neurological disease. Poorly managed pain is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality, has adverse welfare implications and delays the return to normal function. Good pain management relies on regular pain assessment and includes the administration of analgesic drugs.