Question

Veterinary Anesthesia & Surgical Assisting - Injectable Anesthetics

Barbiturates were once widely used as anesthetics, but now are largely replaced by other drugs.

Identify two barbiturate drugs still used on a regular basis in veterinary medicine (not necessarily as anesthetic agents).

Identify two non-barbituate ultra short acting anesthetic agents used in veterinary medicine.

Identify two dissociative anesthetic agents used in veterinary medicine.

What are tissues in the Vessel Rich Group (VRG)?

What is the significance of these tissues for anesthetics administered IV?

What is the difference between redistribution, metabolism and excretion?

Thiopental is used as a model for distribution of ultra short acting anesthetic agents.

How does distribution of the drug affect induction and recovery from anesthesia from one of these agents?

How does distribution of the drug impact the effect of the drug on animals that are very lean (like greyhounds), and animals that have pre-existing hepatic or renal disease?

Propofol and thiopental are both ultra short-acting anesthetics administered IV.

Compare the two drugs. How long does it take for the drug to be redistributed?

How does redistribution affect anesthetic depth? How long does it take for the drug to be metabolized?

Knowing this, can you explain why we can safely give additional doses of propofol to o dogs to maintain anesthesia, but get very prolonged recovery if we give repeated doses of thiopental?

Is propofol a controlled substance? Does it have analgesic properties?

Propofol may be used in cats, but cats may have a toxic reaction to Propofol 28. Why?

What are the likely complications of administering propofol rapidly, rather than over 30 sec to a minute?

A very cautious new technician administers propofol very, very slowly and the patient starts thrashing and crying out.

What do you think is happening? Compare etomidate and propofol. What are the similarities?

What are some benefits of etomidate compared to propofol?

Ketamine does not induce ___________________, but produces a ____________________ state.

How does ketamine affect reflexes used to monitor anesthesia- eye position, pupils, muscle tone?

How does ketamine elimination differ in the cat compared to other species?

Is ketamine a controlled substance? What are the routes of administration for ketamine? How does the route of administration affect the onset and duration of anesthesia? Does it have analgesic properties? What is the effect of ketamine on cardiac and respiratory function?

Compare to propofol. Telazol contains ________ , which is a ________ anesthetic and ________ which is a ________ like diazepam.

Is Telazol a controlled substance?

How can Telazol be administered? How does rate of administration affect onset and duration of anesthesia? Does it have analgesic properties?

Answer 1

1. Two barbiturate drugs still used on a regular basis in veterinary medicine (not necessarily as anesthetic agents).

Phenobarbital used to control seizures. Long acting. Low lipid solutarity.

Pentobarbital is primary agent in euthanasia solutions. Short acting. High lipid solutarity.

2. Two non-barbituate ultra short acting anesthetic agents used in veterinary medicine are :-

Propofol and Etomidate

3. Two dissociative anesthetic agents used in veterinary medicine are :-

Ketamine and Tiletamine

Ketamine

widely used in veterinary practice, both small and large animal practice; controlled substance

Tiletamine

available in combination with zolazepam as Telazol; used for mild sedation to general anesthesia; used in small animals, and zoo medicine; controlled drug

4. Vessel Rich Group (VRG)

Brain, heart, liver, kidneys, endocrine glands

Barbiturates circulating in blood enter the brain and cause general CNS depression and unconsciousness

Increased lipid solubility increases rate of onset. An inhibitory neurotransmitter.