Sedative Techniques: What Will We Do Without Xylazine??

As changes occur in the handling of the alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist, xylazine, practitioners may be facing challenges regarding sedative agents that are clinically useful in their large animal patients. This course will begin with a discussion describing the alpha-2 agonist class of drugs and how they are used in clinical practice. Alternative pharmacologic options to this commonly used class of drugs will also be presented, and specific case examples will be discussed, focusing on field techniques incorporating sedation, analgesia, and general anesthesia, where appropriate. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the physiologic effects associated with the alpha-2 agonists and how to choose alternative agents unique to specific clinical situations.

Speaker

Becky Johnson, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVVA
Dr. Becky Johnson obtained her DVM degree from The Ohio State University in 1993, completed a residency and MS degree at the University of Wisconsin, and became board-certified in Veterinary Anesthesiology and Pain Management in 1997. In 2002, she completed a PhD in Respiratory Neurophysiology. She currently is the Research Anesthesiologist and a Clinical Professor of Anesthesia and Pain Management at the University of Wisconsin’s School of Veterinary Medicine. Her interests include advances in anesthetic and analgesic techniques of laboratory animal species and the effects of opioid and non-opioid analgesics on the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems of companion animals.