Observations of private veterinary practices in Colorado, with an emphasis on anesthesia.

RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY

To give academic faculty in anesthesia a better understanding of the anesthetic techniques used by veterinarians in private practice, in order to enhance their teaching of anesthesiology to veterinary students.

METHODOLOGY

Two anesthesia faculty members visited 20 different small-animal veterinary practices, interviewing veterinarians and technical staff about their use of anesthesia and their anesthesia-related problems.

RESULTS

Compared to most university veterinary teaching hospitals, private practitioners tended to use fewer anesthetic drugs, provide fewer analgesics, do more out-patient procedures, and rarely monitor blood pressure in anesthetized animals.

CONCLUSION

Techniques of anesthesia and monitoring used in private veterinary practice are often quite different from those used in large university teaching hospitals.