Sedation and analgesia in the standing horse 2. Local anaesthesia and analgesia techniques

Abstract

Local anaesthetic techniques are valuable adjuncts to sedation and systemic analgesia, facilitating surgery and diagnostic procedures in standing conscious horses. Local anaesthetic techniques are useful in preventing nociception in order to perform surgery, to minimise movement, aid even weight bearing and for postoperative analgesia. This article discusses choice of drugs and local techniques, and accompanies an article on the systemic drugs used for sedation and analgesia published in the October 2012 issue of In Practice (vol 34, pp 524-531).