Having well-trained veterinary technicians performing anesthesia can help improve anesthetic monitoring and provide individualized treatment with reliable medications, said veterinary anesthesiologists who attended Abbott Animal Health’s first Anesthesia Summit. They also agreed that the following areas of veterinary anesthesia are essential: Closely monitoring animals while achieving the correct vaporizer setting of gas-induced anesthesia can lessen the likelihood of adverse events during surgery; . Using an individualized dose-to-effect anesthetic treatment can help in correctly evaluating a pet during surgery, as the surgical stimulus may vary throughout the procedure; and . Using a reliable anesthetic can help to ensure rapid, precise control over the depth of anesthesia and can assist in a smooth return of cognitive and motor skills. Education is key, said Khursheed Mama, BVSc, DVM, Dipl. ACVA, associate professor of anesthesia at Colorado State University, who attended the summit. “While products are important, they are not as important as educating people in the reasons for monitoring patients and supporting them appropriately during anesthesia,” she said. Lynn Bromstedt, divisional vice president of Abbott Animal Health, said the summit also provided the company with tremendous insight. “As a result, Abbott is closely looking at current protocols and guidelines within the industry and assessing the benefits of further studies to help guide effective and successful anesthetic treatments. This is in addition to Abbott’s ongoing work with anesthesiologists to identify clinical studies which will enhance the knowledge of general anesthesia. Abbott is currently developing online educational programming focused on anesthesia, which we hope to launch later this year.” The company also plans to conduct road shows throughout the United States. <HOME>
