Veterinary Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care
Summary
Veterinary anaesthesiology and intensive care integrates tailored pharmacology, vigilant monitoring and advanced supportive therapies to optimise peri-operative and critical-care outcomes across companion, production and exotic species. Anaesthetic protocols combine induction agents (injectables such as propofol, ketamine-α2 agonist combinations, alfaxalone) and inhalational agents (isoflurane, sevoflurane) with adjunctive analgesics and local or regional techniques. Sedation depth, analgesia and muscle relaxation must be balanced against potential cardiopulmonary depression, with species-specific considerations for metabolism, thermoregulation and vascular physiology. Haemodynamic stability is ensured by continuous evaluation of heart rate, blood pressure and cardiac output surrogates, complemented by respiratory monitoring of ventilation (capnography) and oxygenation (pulse oximetry). Rapid point-of-care diagnostics, including lactate and arterial blood gas analysis, guide fluid therapy and vasoactive support in shock or respiratory failure. In intensive-care settings, integration of predictive pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic models, portable bedside monitoring and timely biomarker assessment enhances individualised dosing, early detection of deterioration and outcome prediction. Emerging techniques, such as targeted reversal of sedatives and real-time pain assessment tools, are redefining safety and welfare standards in veterinary practice worldwide.
Research from Nature Portfolio
A randomized experimental study in pigs compared dantrolene with amiodarone for cardiopulmonary resuscitation following prolonged ventricular fibrillation. Both drugs achieved similar restoration rates of spontaneous circulation and maintained comparable haemodynamics during a two-hour follow-up, supporting dantrolene as a viable alternative in large-animal models of cardiac arrest. In Egyptian fruit bats undergoing gonadectomy under balanced anaesthesia, two intramuscular regimens were evaluated. A dexmedetomidine–ketamine combination exhibited faster induction and superior recovery scores compared with a three-drug protocol including butorphanol and midazolam, while both groups required isoflurane supplementation for stable maintenance. These findings refine injectable anaesthetic choices in chiropteran medicine, enhancing procedural safety and welfare.
Veterinary Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in veterinary anaesthesiology and intensive care across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model: Mathematical simulation of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination using species-specific anatomical and biochemical parameters.
Minimum alveolar concentration (MAC): The alveolar inhalant agent concentration at which 50% of subjects do not move in response to a surgical stimulus.
Capnography: Continuous graphical display of exhaled carbon dioxide versus time, used to assess ventilation and detect airway disconnection.
Plethysmogram (pleth): A waveform produced by pulse oximetry representing pulsatile changes in blood volume within peripheral tissues.
Cardiac output (CO): The volume of blood ejected by the heart per minute, calculated as heart rate multiplied by stroke volume.
Arterial blood pressure (ABP): Pressure exerted by circulating blood on arterial walls; mean arterial pressure approximates tissue perfusion pressure.
References
- Dantrolene versus amiodarone for cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a randomized, double-blinded experimental study. Scientific Reports (2017).
- Comparison of two injectable anaesthetic protocols in Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) undergoing gonadectomy. Scientific Reports (2022).
- Advances in Canine Anesthesia: Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling for Predicting Propofol Plasma Profiles in Canines with Hepatic Impairment. Pharmaceuticals (2024).
- Efficacy and Safety of Dexmedetomidine Premedication in Balanced Anesthesia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis in Dogs. Animals (2021).
- Pharmacokinetics of intramuscular alfaxalone and its echocardiographic, cardiopulmonary and sedative effects in healthy dogs. PLOS ONE (2018).
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