Think Anesthesia Podcast

Listen to this podcast interview of Dr. Ralph Harvey, ACVAA, Chair on the Veterinary Advisory Board for BioTraceIT and Deb Dullen, co-founder, president and CEO of BioTraceIT. Together they give us information about the emerging pain assessment modality, PainTrace. 

Remember ether and halothane? Wonder how we have decreased anesthetic associated risk or why we use precision vaporizers? How about, when was the first modern stethoscope invented? Listen to this podcast recording of our previous live presentation, Historical Advancements in Veterinary Anesthesia & Analgesia which provides an exciting and lighthearted discussion of historical advancements leading to improved survival in veterinary patients.

In this episode we interview the creators of the children's book Dr. Rossie Helps the Animals about the importance of reaching underrepresented communities in the veterinary profession.

In this episode we interview, NAVTA past-president, Ashli Selke on a detailed review of the information released on Jan. 16th, 2023 for the 2022 NAVTA Demographic Survey.

In this interview we demystify the open hospital concept with Ken Yagi, RVT, VTS (ECC) (SAIM), Chief Veterinary Nursing Officer for Veterinary Emergency Group. This interview explores the benefits to the veterinary care team, pets and pet parents when an open hospital concept is used. 

*Warning some viewers may find some content of this interview graphic* In this episode of the Think Anesthesia Podcast, we interview Forensic veterinarian, Dr. A. Michelle Gonzalez. Dr. Gonzalez described the link between individuals who commit animal cruelty and abuse as a “step up” crime which often leads to interpersonal abuse. She highlights the moral and, in some states, legal obligation for veterinary professionals to report cases of animal cruelty. She describes some of the common findings during examination as well as the importance of proper documentation for animal abuse and cruelty.

In this episode, we interview Liza Rudolph, BAS, CVT, VTS (Clinical Practice, Internal Medicine) about the value of being a career veterinary technician as Director of a ‘coming soon' veterinary technology program at Rowan College of South Jersey. Questions about the program can be directed to lrudolp1@rcsj.edu.

This episode interview's Dr. Sheilah Robertson providing a overview of advancements she has witnessed during her career in veterinary medicine, where we have been and where we are going.

 This episode of the Think Anesthesia podcast positions specific clinical patients that could require ventilatory support during an anesthetic procedure to a boarded veterinary anesthesiologist, Dr. Elizabeth Martinez, providing her expert opinion on how to best ventilate them with a ‘minimize harm, maximize ventilation' approach.

This episode interviews Heather Carter, MPS, LVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia) and Vice-President of People and Culture at Partner Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center. She discusses the rate of turnover in veterinary medicine, its influences and how to minimize it in your practice.

In this episode, we interview Dr. Tracey Gillespie, DACVIM, Medical Director of IndyVet Emergency & Specialty Hospital about the value of performing Morbidity & Mortality Rounds in a fast pace, emergency and referral, private practice.

The contributions of animal testing played a significant role in the evolution of both general and regional anesthesia. There are many reports, stories, and anecdotes about animals that have been loved, named, and tested by scientists. In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Martinez shares two of these stories how animals have contributed to the advancement of anesthesia that helped save many lives on the operating table.

Jenny Cassibry Fisher, RVT, VTS (Oncology) shares some of the factors specific to anesthetizing veterinary patients for radiation therapy. This episode covers patient and procedural factors, medications commonly involved, and some success stories from Jenny's experiences as an oncology technician.

In this episode, we will discuss the peri-anesthetic fluid management of Raisin, a 16-yr-old Siamese cat, previously diagnosed with Stage 3 chronic kidney disease. Raisin requires general anesthesia for a dental scaling due to periodontitis. We will follow Raisin from preanesthetic examination and assessment through anesthesia and recovery, with a focus on anesthetic concerns and fluid therapy goals for a renal patient. The listener will learn the benefits of pre-anesthetic fluid administration, what fluid type and rate are most appropriate for this patient, and whether fluid therapy should be continued following anesthesia.

Interview with Tasha McNerney, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), CVPP. Listen to learn more about the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management and the process and value of becoming a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner.

Curious about what to have prepared for a challenging intubation or what to do when orotracheal intubation attempts fail. We interviewed Darci Palmer, LVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia) about airway management in those challenging cases.

Dr. Tony Woodward, board certified veterinary dentist and oral surgeon and owner of Montana Pet Dentistry & Oral Surgery located in Bozeman, Montana provides us insight to the 3 most important dental recommendations he would make to referring general practitioners performing dental procedures. Listen and learn how wind surfing inspired a 20 plus year career dedicated to veterinary dentistry. More information about Dr. Woodward and his practice can be found that this link: https://www.montanapetdental.com/

This podcast interviews registered veterinary technician and entrepreneur Cynthia Burns, regarding her anesthetic machine and maintenance business, Fix-It Lady Machine Service and Repair based out of North Carolina. Cynthia details the importance of annual machine maintenance to optimizing the equipment's use and improve anesthetic safety. 

This episode highlights veterinary physical rehabilitation in a discussion with Wendy Davies BS, CVT, CCRVN, VTS (Phys Rehab). She is the president of the Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Technicians and a founder of the integrative medicine service at the University of Florida. Wendy talks with us about her experiences and the benefits of physical rehab. 

A conversation with Dr. Renée Schott, veterinarian and certified wildlife rehabilitator. Dr. Schott is passionate about wildlife rehabilitation medicine and sharing her knowledge with others. In this episode, she discusses what her typical day looks like and her thoughts on sedating, anesthetizing, and monitoring a variety of wildlife species. 

In this episode we discuss with Liz Hughston, Med., RVT, CVT, LVT, VTS (IM-Small Animal, ECC) the potential for entrepreneurship of veterinary technicians. She outlines how she made this move and considerations when leveraging skills outside veterinary medicine towards a successful veterinary medicine profession. She shares with us why she helped create the Facebook group, Not One More Vet Support Staff and the importance for mental health awareness in veterinary medicine. 

In recognition of veterinary technician appreciation week 2021 we interviewed two leaders in veterinary technology: Jennifer Sager, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia, ECC) and Jeff Backus, CVT, RVT, VTS (ECC). Jenn shared with us her unique experience being the first, veterinary technician to co-chair an AAHA guideline. Learn ways to work towards authorship, where to find these opportunities and how to inspire the next generation of veterinary technicians and veterinarians. Next highlighted career veterinary technician, Jeff Backus, CVT, RVT, VTS (ECC) helps us “Find our Nerd” and shares how he was hooked on being a veterinary technician and how he found optimal work life balance with the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.  

In recognition of veterinary technician appreciation week 2021 for our Think Anesthesia Podcast episode, we are interviewing career veterinary technicians. In this episode we speak with Darci Palmer LVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia) and Jessica Sosa, LVT! Darci shares with us the origins of her passion for veterinary medicine, how to be part of change and what it means to be an instructor for veterinary students. Jessica provides us with the unique insight into zoological medicine and the pathway to a fulfilling career. 

In recognition of veterinary technician appreciation week 2021 for our Think Anesthesia Podcast episode, we interview two career veterinary technicians: Charlotte Waack, CVT, RVT and VSPN Director and Joe DeFulio, CVT, Compassion Fatigue Educator and Certified Compassion Fatigue Professional, and currently serves as Vice President of Clinical Services for MedVet For Pets. We start with learning about how Charlotte became interested in pursuing a second career in veterinary technology! She outlines the benefit of skills gained from all professional experiences that navigated her from managing a restaurant to managing veterinary clinical practice, to pursing becoming a credentialed veterinary technician to eventually where she is now, developing and directing the veterinary support personnel network. She also shares with us the importance of being involved in our regulatory bodies to support change in the veterinary community. In the second half, meet Joe DeFulio, CVT. He provides us the unique perspective from the top and how serving in various positions provides him direction in his role. He shares with us the desire to give back to the community and profession and the importance of the veterinary technician's voice in operational management of an organization. 

In this Think Anesthesia Podcast episode, we interview Amy Newfield, MS, CVT, VTS (ECC) and author of Oops, I Became a Manager: Managing the Veterinary Hospital Team by Finding Unicorns. In celebration of veterinary technician week 2021, she shares with us the top things she values when hiring a career technician. She sheds light on what qualities it takes to be a good leader in a management role. And she provides us career inspiration as she details her experience as a 20+ year veteran with the US Health and Human Services National Disaster Medial response teams and how you could become involved. 

Round Table Discussion with Exotic Animal Experts: Stephen Cital, Dr. Grayson Doss, Dr. João Brandão and Dr. Angela Lennox. We pose some questions involving anesthesia and analgesia for exotic companion, zoological and laboratory animals to our panelist experts. Learn their favorite or most interesting species to anesthetize and their expert techniques in providing anesthesia and analgesia for these unique, diverse patient populations.

Join Think Anesthesia® for a Fireside Chat featuring speakers from the 2021 Think Anesthesia® Virtual Conference. Moderated by Dr. Elizabeth Martinez, our group of expert panelists answer the most asked questions from the conference, including pre-hospital sedation, treating intraoperative hypotension, practical options for topical anesthesia for IV catheterization, and what anesthesia monitor everyone should have in their clinic. Panelists will also discuss how to introduce what you have learned to implement changes in your clinic protocols to optimize the anesthetic experience for the patient, client, and veterinary care team.

This podcast is a shelter anesthesia expert panel discussion on bridging the gaps between shelter and general practice anesthesia. Our panelists have dedicated their veterinary careers to providing care, and second chances, to the nation’s homeless pet population. They include: Dr. Erin Katribe, medical director of Best Friends Animal Society, Dr. Emily McCobb, DACVAA, co-section head for Community Medicine and Director of the Luke and Lily Lerner Spay Neuter Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, and Dr. Sadie Scott, medical director and chief veterinarian at Kansas City Pet Project and owner of Family Pet Hospital, in the Kansas City area. Topics discussed involve overcoming common challenges involving budgets, staffing and drug limitations, maintaining optimal anesthetic and analgesic care, and how as veterinary professionals to be more involved in shelter programs.

Seeking a sustainable surgical suite? The Think Anesthesia Veterinary Continuing Education podcast episode "Going Green in the Surgical Suite" will provide listeners with information on how to reduce the environmental impact of their activities in the surgical suite while maintaining high standards for safe patient care. Join Dr. Elizabeth Martinez, board-certified specialist in veterinary anesthesia and analgesia, as she discusses how our environmental impact can be minimized by learning strategies to reduce the use of inhalant anesthetics. You will learn what supplies and equipment used in the surgical suite can be recycled or reused and how to maximize environmental sustainability by reducing drug and energy waste. One-quarter credit of RACE-approved CE will be given for listening to this episode and successfully completing a short quiz.

Are stressed or fractious patients making you frazzled? Join Dr. Elizabeth Martinez, board-certified specialist in veterinary anesthesia and analgesia, for the episode ‘Anesthesia Starts at Home.’ Dr. Martinez discusses how to optimize the patient and pet owner experience by starting the anesthesia process prior to admission to the veterinary clinic.  Clinical use of drugs available for at-home anxiolysis and sedation for fearful and anxious pets and strategies for the management of the aggressive patient will be presented, as well as the use of antiemetics and considerations for the administration of chronic medications prior to anesthesia. One-quarter credit of RACE-approved CE will be given for listening to this episode and successfully completing a short quiz.

Join Dr. Elizabeth Martinez, board-certified specialist in veterinary anesthesia and analgesia, for this episode ‘Recovery from Anesthesia,’ Dr. Martinez discusses the importance of maintaining vigilance from the time the maintenance anesthetic is discontinued until the patient is ready to go home. From a patient that is waking up too quickly to a patient that is taking too long, this episode will review how to mitigate the risk of complications and how to monitor and support a patient as they recover from anesthesia.  One-quarter credit of RACE-approved CE will be given for listening to this episode and successfully completing a short quiz.

This podcast focuses on the commonly used anesthesia maintenance drugs for veterinary species. The episode will review anesthetic maintenance with inhalant drugs, beginning with defining and discussing the concept of minimum alveolar concentration (MAC). The differences and similarities of isoflurane and sevoflurane will be discussed, as well as information on the use of desflurane and nitrous oxide. The technique and drugs used for partial and total intravenous anesthesia will also be discussed. Upon completion of the podcast, the listener will be able to use their understanding of the pharmacology and clinical effects of these drugs to develop individualized anesthetic plan for their patients. Half a credit of RACE-approved CE will be given for listening to this episode and successfully completing a short quiz.

While there is some truth to the adage, “the safest anesthetic is the one you know best,” there is not one anesthetic induction protocol that is appropriate for every patient. Patient co-morbidities and drug availability may also limit induction drug choices. Therefore, it is important to be comfortable with multiple induction strategies. This podcast focuses on the selection and use of anesthesia induction drugs in dogs and cats. Topics discussed include the attributes of the ideal induction drug and a review of commonly used induction drugs including alfaxalone, propofol, and dissociative drugs. Upon completion of the podcast, the listener will be able to use their understanding of the pharmacology and clinical effects of these drugs to develop individualized anesthetic plans for their patients. Half a credit of RACE-approved CE will be given for listening to this episode and successfully completing a short quiz.Visit www.thinkanesthesia.education/podcast/4 to complete the CE Quiz.

This podcast is Part 2 of a 2-part series on premedication focusing on the selection and use of opioids prior to anesthesia in dogs and cats. Topics discussed include the rationale for providing preemptive analgesia and a review of commonly-used opioids. Upon completion of this podcast, the listener will be able to use their understanding of the pharmacology and clinical effects of schedule 2 and non-schedule 2 opioids to develop individualized premedication drug regimens for their patients. One-half hour of RACE-approved CE will be given for listening to both episodes (Premedication Part One – Sedatives and Tranquilizers and Premedication Part Two – Opioids) and successfully completing a short quiz.Visit www.thinkanesthesia.education/podcast/3 to complete the CE Quiz.

This podcast is Part 1 of a 2-part series on premedication focusing on the selection and use of sedatives and tranquilizers prior to anesthesia in dogs and cats. Topics discussed include the benefits of premedication and a review of commonly used sedatives and tranquilizers. Upon completion of the podcast, the listener will be able to use their understanding of the pharmacology and clinical effects of acepromazine, benzodiazepines, and dexmedetomidine to develop individualized premedication drug regimens for their patients. One-half hour of RACE-approved CE will be given for listening to both episodes (Premedication Part One – Sedatives and Tranquilizers and Premedication Part Two – Opioids) and successfully completing a short quiz.Visit www.thinkanesthesia.education/podcast/2 to complete the CE Quiz.

In the podcast “Preparing for Anesthesia” Dr. Martinez discusses her recommendations for preparing the patient for anesthesia. Topics discussed include obtaining informed owner consent, recommended pre-anesthetic fasting times, selection of laboratory and diagnostic tests, and the advantages of using safety checklists. Upon completion of the podcast, the attendee will be able to confidently optimize their process for patient assessment and preparation in designing an individualized anesthetic plan. This episode is RACE-approved for 0.25 hr continuing education credit. Visit www.thinkanesthesia.education/podcast/1 to complete the CE Quiz.