Veterinary Anesthesia

 1)  According to the site of injection:

a- Lumbar epidural anaesthesia: Injection is made in lumbo-sacral space and is indicated for small animals.

b- Caudal epidural anaesthesia: It is indicated for large animals and the injection is made either in the sacrococcygeal space such in buffaloes (with perpendicular angle), or in the first intercoccygeal space such as in cattle (perpendicular angle), camel (perpendicular angle) (perpendicular angle), horses  (with angle 60 °), and donkeys (with angle 30 °) .

2) According to the distance forwards the anaesthetic solution spreads in the spinal canal, and thus the extent of the area in which the sensory and motor paralysis subsequently develop, into:

a- Posterior type:

b- Anterior type

Use epidural for: 

▪️  Caudal surgery

–       Tail amputation

–       Perianal surgery

–       Rear limb surgeries

▪️  Abdominal surgery

–       Cesarian section

▪️  Urogenital surgery

▪️  Thoracic surgery (neuraxial analgesia)

Do not use epidural if:

▪️  Absolute

–       Systemic or local infection

–       Blood withdraw

–       Allergies  (local anesthetics or opioids) .

–        Coagulopathies

▪️  Relative

–       Hemodynamically unstable

–       Pelvic fracture

Confirmation of succus injection

▪️  Loss of resistance         

–       Air or saline

–       Hanging drop

–       Bubble compression

▪️  Nerve irritation

▪️  Radiography

▪️  Anal relaxation

▪️  Blood, CSF

Adverse effects

▪️  Hypotension

▪️  Hypoventilation

▪️  Pruritus

▪️  Sedation

Complications

▪️  Dural puncture – subarachnoid injection

▪️  Venous puncture

▪️  Retention of urine

▪️  Infection

▪️  Neurological sequelae