Modern veterinary practice
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Anesthesia for cesarean section should ideally provide adequate muscle relaxation, analgesia, and narcosis or sedation for optimal operating conditions and safety to the dam. Since drugs that depress the dam must cross the blood-brain barrier, however, it is impossible to anesthetize the dam and not expose the fetuses to the anesthetic. No one agent or protocol is ideal for all dams, and satisfactory anesthesia for cesarean section can be induced in a number of ways. Cesarean section can be performed with either regional or general anesthesia.
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Initial management of the seriously injured animal involves the immediate recognition of life-threatening abnormalities and prompt resuscitation based on priorities of care. Of equal importance to the ultimate survival of the animal is an aggressive approach to the diagnosis and control of the complications and sequelae of injury. This approach to patient care requires constant attention to details, but offers the most efficient management of these critically ill animals.