Andy Roark episode spotlights quick sedation for dogs and cats
CURRENT BRIEF VERSION: A new March 17 episode of Dr. Andy Roark’s How Do You Treat That? puts a practical spotlight on “quick sedation” for dogs and cats, with Tasha McNerney, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), focusing on short procedures in otherwise healthy patients that may not require a full anesthetic event. In the episode, Roark frames the discussion around real general-practice constraints — including time, cost, and the need to get diagnostics, wound care, or minor surgical work done in a fear-free, low-pain or no-pain way — and McNerney walks through reversible sedation, multimodal analgesia, and pairing sedatives with local blocks so teams can work efficiently while improving patient comfort. Roark’s summary highlights opioids, dexmedetomidine, local anesthesia, feline-specific strategies, selective ketamine use, and airway awareness as core tools in the discussion. (drandyroark.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the discussion lands in a familiar gap between low-stress handling and full general anesthesia. Current guidance from AAHA and feline-friendly handling groups supports individualized sedation plans, pre-visit pharmaceuticals when appropriate, and the use of local or regional anesthesia to reduce overall drug burden and improve patient welfare. Evidence reviews also show that pre-appointment medications such as gabapentin, trazodone, and oral transmucosal dexmedetomidine can reduce fear and improve handling in selected dogs and cats, which can make short procedures safer and more feasible in general practice. The broader handling conversation also increasingly emphasizes avoiding “just muzzle and push through” approaches for high-FAS patients in favor of behavior-aware planning and medication when needed. (aaha.org)
What to watch: Expect continued interest in protocols that shorten recovery, preserve reversibility, and help clinics handle more mildly to moderately fractious patients without escalating straight to full anesthesia. Just as important, these protocols may be part of a larger effort to reduce repeated restraint and the moral strain that difficult handling and low-value interventions can place on technicians and other team members. (drandyroark.com)