Anesthesia and Pain Management Resources for the Vet Tech

Tasha McNerney, CVT, CVPP, anesthesia technician at the Center for Animal Referral and Emergency Services, discusses anesthesia and pain management resources for veterinarian technicians.

Interview Transcript (slightly modified for readability)

“There [are] a lot of resources out there now about anesthesia. Certainly, the anesthesia technician website, the AVTAA. They have a fantastic website with great resources and they can actually put you in touch with anesthesia technician specialists in your area who you can email and ask questions. Most of them are very amenable to talking with technicians and answering anesthesia questions.

Certainly, a website such as the Veterinary Anesthesia [and Analgesia] Support Group has some really great information on that as well, from CRIs to different drug calculators, to protocols for pre-op and post-operative. I think that’s a really good resource.

As far as pain management goes, the ultimate resource for pain management is the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management. They have everything that you [would] want to know about pain management, [from] pre-operative pain management all the way to chronic pain management for some of our chronic osteoarthritis patients. They’re all-encompassing, so not just looking at drugs but also alternative therapies and how we can use things like massage therapy or hydrotherapy in pain management for patients. So, the IVAPM is certainly a fantastic resource for anyone who wants to know more about pain management.”