This article is sponsored content brought to you by Zoetis.
Anaesthesia and analgesia (A&A) are crucial for every surgical procedure. Zoetis is your trusted partner in A&A-related veterinary solutions and education. Our flagship brand, Alfaxan® Multidose, along with a range of sedatives and analgesics, is proudly manufactured in Australia at our Rutherford, NSW facility, supporting local industry. Zoetis is committed to supporting best-practice anaesthesia and analgesia. The following resources have been created for that purpose.
AVAAAP PERIANAESTHETIC ANALGESIC GUIDELINES
Zoetis have collaborated with several registered Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia specialists to form the Australian Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia Advisory Panel (AVAAAP).
The mission of AVAAAP is to support the understanding and advancement of veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia amongst Australian veterinary teams.
This partnership has led to the creation of the AVAAAP Perianaesthetic Analgesic Guidelines for Companion Animal Veterinary Practice.
The Guidelines stem from thorough reviews of published literature, the latest research findings and expert insights, with a focus on improving outcomes for companion animal patients undergoing painful surgical procedures by promoting the appropriate and optimal use of available products, and techniques related to this therapeutic area.
The Guidelines are intended as a quick reference guide to perioperative pain management in small animal patients. They include information on clinically relevant pharmacological characteristics of commonly used drugs, AVAAAP-recommended dosages, practical tips for anaesthetic and surgical situations, and guidance on various techniques for use.
Within the Guidelines you’ll find dedicated chapters on Pain, including its physiology, recognition and assessment, Opioids, NSAIDs, Alpha-2 Agonists, Local Anaesthetic Agents and Additional Anaesthetic Techniques, including agents such as ketamine. To accompany the Guidelines, we’ve also produced:
• A Dosing Guide Summary, including key points for common perianaesthetic analgesic medications and AVAAAP recommended dose rates for dogs and cats.
• The Feline Grimace Scale Fact Sheet and Training Manual, with permission from University of Montreal.
• The Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scales for both Felines and Canines, with permission from NewMetrica.
You can access all these great resources via this link: https://www2.zoetis.com.au/expert-lounge/a-and-a-guidelines, or by using the QR code provided on the page overleaf.
THINK ANAESTHESIA® WEBSITE
Think Anaesthesia is an educational platform provided by Zoetis. It was created to help enhance the knowledge of veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia among Australian veterinary teams, thereby elevating the standard of care for their patients and improving anaesthetic outcomes.
The website offers veterinary teams free, easily accessible CPD and practical anaesthesia-related tools and resources tailored for both vets and vet nurses. Featuring content from both international and local sources, Think Anaesthesia provides animal health professionals with an ever-growing repository to stay updated on this critical area of veterinary practice.
On-demand webinars and podcasts delivered by a range of experts in veterinary anaesthesia form the foundation of the website. Additionally, the platform features a variety of A&A-related tools and resources, including an anaesthetic safety checklist, anaesthetic depth chart, equipment maintenance log, anaesthetic monitoring chart, ASA classification guide, capnography trace interpretation guide and more.
To refresh your anaesthesia knowledge, visit www.thinkanaesthesia.com.au.
