KEY POINTS
Appropriately stabilizing the condition of the critically ill animal before anesthesia is imperative to minimize anesthesia-related complications.
Problems should be anticipated and an appropriate and efficient treatment and therapeutic plan developed before induction of anesthesia.
The use of a balanced anesthesia technique should be considered to minimize potential deleterious effects of single-drug therapy.
The use of positive pressure ventilation is mandatory with the administration of neuromuscular blocking agents.
Neuromuscular blocking agents do not have anesthetic or analgesic properties.
This Chapter includes recommended anesthetic agents and their dosages.
