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  • Nursing Anaesthesia

    • Pre-anaesthetic Assessment

      In this lesson will cover the pre-anaesthetic assessment of animals in small animal practice. 

      Anaesthetic risk and some of the factors that influence it will be covered. Key features of the clinical examination will be discussed, as will the indications for further tests. 

      We’ll also begin to think about how you formulate protocols for anaesthesia based on your examination findings; these foundations will be developed further as the course progresses.

      By the end of this lesson you should be able to:

      • State the risk of anaesthesia in various animal species;
      • Discuss the factors that influence anaesthetic risk;
      • Outline how to perform a pre-anaesthetic assessment of an animal;
      • Apply the American Association of Anaesthesiologists classification to cases;
      • Outline appropriate timescales for withholding food and water before anaesthesia in dogs, cats and rabbits;
      • Outline how to plan an anaesthetic protocol.

    • SCORM package icon
      Pre-anaesthetic Assessment
      Students must
      Complete the activity
    • Click the icon above to begin the lesson. Please note that lessons will open in a new browser tab, so if your browser asks you to accept pop-ups, please approve. Once you've engaged with the lesson you can close the tab and you'll be brought back to this page. Your progress will be saved so you can return to the lesson should you wish.



    • A six-month old French Bulldog has been admitted for castration. What are you anaesthetic considerations?

      In this reflective lesson you are asked to interpret the pre-anaesthetic findings given in the case information and describe how they would influence anaesthesia and apply terminology and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles of drugs.


      Aidan McAlinden, Academic and Content Director


    • SCORM package icon
      Reflective Lesson: The Young French Bulldog
      Students must
      Complete the activity
    • Click the icon above to begin the lesson. Please note that lessons will open in a new browser tab, so if your browser asks you to accept pop-ups, please approve. Once you've engaged with the lesson you can close the tab and you'll be brought back to this page. Your progress will be saved so you can return to the lesson should you wish.