name: anesthesia-protocols
description: Species-specific anesthesia protocols including premedication, induction, maintenance, and monitoring. Accounts for brachycephalic risk, sighthound sensitivity, ASA classification, and common anesthetic emergencies.
Anesthesia Protocols
Overview
Species-specific anesthesia protocols including premedication, induction, maintenance, and monitoring. This skill covers the practical protocol selection — for safety monitoring, emergency management, and breed-specific risk assessment, see the companion skill anesthesia-safety.
When to Use
- User needs an anesthesia protocol for a specific species and procedure
- User asks about drug selection for premedication, induction, or maintenance
- User asks about species-specific anesthetic considerations
- Keywords: anesthesia, sedation, premedication, induction, intubation, isoflurane, sevoflurane, propofol, alfaxalone, dexmedetomidine, ASA, monitoring
Standard Canine Protocol
| Phase |
Drug Options |
Dose Range |
Notes |
| Premedication |
Dexmedetomidine + Hydromorphone |
5-20 mcg/kg IM + 0.1 mg/kg IM |
Adjust for ASA status; reduce for debilitated patients |
| Premedication (alt) |
Acepromazine + Butorphanol |
0.01-0.05 mg/kg IM + 0.2-0.4 mg/kg IM |
Avoid ace in Boxers, MDR1 breeds |
| Induction |
Propofol |
2-6 mg/kg IV to effect |
Titrate slowly; apnea risk at higher doses |
| Induction (alt) |
Alfaxalone |
1-3 mg/kg IV to effect |
Good for cardiovascular compromise |
| Maintenance |
Isoflurane or Sevoflurane |
MAC: iso 1.3%, sevo 2.3% |
Sevoflurane: faster induction/recovery, more expensive |
| Analgesia |
Fentanyl CRI |
2-5 mcg/kg/hr IV |
Reduces MAC by 30-50%; manage bradycardia |
Standard Feline Protocol
| Phase |
Drug Options |
Dose Range |
Notes |
| Premedication |
Dexmedetomidine + Buprenorphine |
10-40 mcg/kg IM + 0.02 mg/kg IM |
Can combine in same syringe (IM kitty magic) |
| Premedication (alt) |
Alfaxalone + Butorphanol |
2 mg/kg IM + 0.3 mg/kg IM |
Good for fractious cats |
| Induction |
Propofol |
2-6 mg/kg IV to effect |
Cats: Heinz body anemia with repeat dosing (avoid CRI) |
| Induction (alt) |
Alfaxalone |
1-3 mg/kg IV to effect |
Preferred for cats needing repeated anesthesia |
| Maintenance |
Isoflurane or Sevoflurane |
MAC: iso 1.6%, sevo 2.6% |
Higher MAC than dogs |
Equine Protocol (Standing Sedation)
| Drug |
Dose |
Route |
Duration |
| Xylazine |
0.5-1.1 mg/kg |
IV |
20-30 min |
| Detomidine |
10-40 mcg/kg |
IV |
30-90 min |
| Butorphanol |
0.01-0.04 mg/kg |
IV |
Combine with alpha-2 for neuroleptanalgesia |
Equine Protocol (General Anesthesia)
| Phase |
Drug |
Dose |
Notes |
| Premedication |
Xylazine or Detomidine |
As above |
Wait for full sedation before induction |
| Induction |
Ketamine + Diazepam |
2.2 mg/kg + 0.05 mg/kg IV |
Administer rapidly as bolus |
| Maintenance |
Isoflurane (Triple Drip alternative) |
MAC 1.3% (or ketamine/xylazine/GGE CRI) |
Equine anesthesia carries ~1% mortality risk (10x higher than small animal) |
| Recovery |
Quiet, padded recovery stall |
Assisted vs. unassisted |
Most critical phase; myopathy and fracture risk |
Breed-Specific Safety Alerts
- Boxers: Acepromazine sensitivity — risk of profound, prolonged hypotension. Use alternative sedation (dexmedetomidine, butorphanol).
- Sighthounds (Greyhounds, Whippets, etc.): Prolonged recovery from thiopental and propofol due to low body fat. Dose-reduce propofol. Alfaxalone may be preferred.
- MDR1-Mutant Breeds (Collies, Aussies, Shelties, etc.): Exercise caution with acepromazine, butorphanol, and other P-glycoprotein substrates. Dose-reduce by 25-50% or substitute. Test MDR1 status when possible.
- Brachycephalics (Bulldogs, Pugs, Persians): High risk for upper-airway obstruction. Pre-oxygenate, have multiple endotracheal tube sizes ready, avoid heavy sedation, and delay extubation until strong swallow reflex.
- Giant breeds (Great Dane, Mastiff, Irish Wolfhound): Higher sensitivity to alpha-2 agonists. Increased bloat/GDV risk perioperatively. Position carefully to prevent myopathy/neuropathy.
- Pediatric (<12 weeks): Immature hepatic metabolism, limited glycogen reserves (hypoglycemia risk), higher body surface area (hypothermia risk). Reduce drug doses, minimize fasting, maintain body temperature aggressively.
- Geriatric: Reduced hepatic/renal clearance, cardiac reserve. Pre-anesthetic bloodwork mandatory. Reduce doses 25-50%.
Key Species Differences
| Parameter |
Dog |
Cat |
Horse |
| Mortality risk |
~0.1% |
~0.2% |
~1% |
| Propofol CRI |
Acceptable |
Avoid (Heinz bodies) |
Not used |
| Alpha-2 reversal |
Atipamezole |
Atipamezole |
Atipamezole (caution) |
| Intubation |
Straightforward |
Laryngospasm common; use lidocaine spray |
Blind nasal or oral |
| Common emergency |
Hypotension |
Hypothermia, bradycardia |
Myopathy, recovery fractures |
Workflow
- Confirm species, breed, age, weight, and ASA status (MANDATORY).
- Review pre-anesthetic bloodwork (CBC, chemistry, coagulation if indicated).
- Select premedication based on species, temperament, and procedure. Account for breed-specific contraindications.
- Select induction agent and calculate dose. Titrate to effect.
- Intubate and maintain on inhalant or injectable protocol. Monitor continuously (SpO2, ETCO2, ECG, BP, temperature).
- Manage analgesia throughout: multimodal approach (opioid + NSAID + local block where possible).
- Recovery monitoring until patient is extubated, normothermic, and ambulatory.
Limitations
- Anesthetic protocols must be individualized based on patient assessment; no single protocol suits all cases.
- Drug availability varies by country and institution. Not all agents are licensed in all jurisdictions.
- Equine anesthesia carries inherently higher risk than small animal; specialist involvement is recommended for complex cases.
- Dosing information is for reference only; always verify against current formulary (Plumb's) and patient-specific factors.
- This skill covers protocol selection. For safety monitoring, emergency management, and breed risk details, see
anesthesia-safety.
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