In this episode, we’re diving into the world of inhalant anesthetics—specifically isoflurane and sevoflurane—and how they fit into a balanced anesthesia protocol. Join Tasha & VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia) Jen Dupre-Welsh as they break down the pharmacology, pros and cons, and clinical considerations of each agent. Whether you're a seasoned technician or just getting comfortable with gas anesthesia, this episode will help you better understand how these inhalants contribute to safe and ef...
Jul 09, 2025•34 min
Nutrition is often a forgotten aspect of the overall animal healthcare experience, especially when compared to the more "sexy" specialties such as ECC and Anesthesia. However, nutrition plays a VITAL role in effecting almost all specialties and body systems of our patients. Today we talk to Robin Saar, a VTS (Nutrition) to talk about how nutrition plays a role specifically in post op recovery, and pain managment! Resources mentioned in this episode: Chaitman J, Ziese AL, Pilla R, Minamoto Y, Bla...
Jun 20, 2025•31 min
Sure you have used the vent, but are you always using PEEP? Should we always be using PEEP? This episode features Erin Czerwonka who is not only and RVT but also and RRT (Registered Respiratory Therapist!!! While her primary focus has always been referral anesthesia, Erin has also gained valuable experience working in the Ophthalmology, Cardiology, and ICU departments. In 2015, she took a significant detour from veterinary medicine to pursue an Advanced Diploma in Respiratory Therapy. In January...
Jun 04, 2025•35 min
With all the buzz around climate change, you may not have stopped to think how our work in anesthesia contributes to the overall warming of the planet. But, Toby Trimble is here to break it down for us. In this episode we discuss some of the ways the anesthesia industry contributes to environmental issues. Volatile anesthetics are potent greenhouse gases, meaning they trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. Lets discuss ways we can keep our patients (and the earth) as safe ...
May 06, 2025•26 min
Listen in to this episode of the Veterinary Anesthesia Nerds podcast for a crucial discussion with Dr. Gianluca Bini on the evolving landscape of perioperative pain management. This episode dives into the potential overuse of opioids in veterinary medicine and explores the exciting possibilities of incorporating Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols. Dr. Bini highlights the strategic use of local and regional anesthetic blocks as a key component of ERAS, demonstrating how these techni...
Apr 28, 2025•32 min
Have you been thinking about taking that next step in your tech anesthesia journey? Join Darci Palmer and Tasha McNerney as they break down the specifics of what is involved in the VTS journey. Visit https://www.avtaa-vts.org/application-forms.pml for more information.
Apr 08, 2025•40 min
You think your anesthesia plan needs an opioid (and you're probably right) but which one to choose? From receptors to duration, join Stephen, Darci, and Tasha as they discuss which opioids to consider, why they work the way they do, and when to change plans if needed. further reading: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21952398/ https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12917-020-02364-w
Apr 01, 2025•34 min
Ever wondered about the difference between oxygenation and ventilation? 🫁💨 Join us as Veterinary Technician Specialist Meagan Crowley breaks it down in a way that’s both practical and engaging! Useful for every anesthesia case you perform, we’ll explore why understanding this distinction is critical for patient care. Hypoxemia, hypoventilation, physical monitoring parameters, and physiology will be discussed. Whether you’re a vet tech, vet, or student, this episode is packed with insights you ...
Mar 23, 2025•30 min
We are all taught in school that if a patient become hypotensive, they should receive a fluid bolus. But, does that make sense for all patients? When do you reach for an anticholinergic? When do you start that dopamine or norepi? Amanda Shelby RVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia) is here to explain it all to us. Resources mentioned in this episode: 1. Harro C, Foster JD. The effect of circumferential tape applied to the cuff during blood pressure measurement in cats. Abstract presented at: 40th...
Mar 02, 2025•37 min
Join all 3 Veterinary Anesthesia Nerds as we geek out over Alpha 2 drugs! Darci Palmer, Stephen Cital, and Tasha McNerney give you a breakdown of the different alpha 2's you may come across in practice. There are so many alpha two options out there, it can get confusing. From tried and true's like xylazine to newer on the market drugs like ZenAlpha, today we discuss how alpha 2's work and why we love them. Check out the veterinary anesthesia nerds resources page for a write up on the medications...
Feb 17, 2025•36 min
ERAS (enhanced recovery after surgery) are gaining ground in human anesthesia ad surgery, but what do they mean for veterinary medicine? Today I discuss the key ERAS concepts we use when creating a balanced and multi modal protocol. Visit the anesthesia nerds website and check resources for the PDF that goes along with this episode: https://www.veterinaryanesthesianerds.com
Feb 11, 2025•20 min
Today we are joined by Gianluca Bini, DACVAA and we are discussing how to safely anesthetize the dog with a murmur that hasn't been completely investigated. How can we make anesthesia as safe as possible for this pet? Dr. Gianluca Bini graduated from the University of Perugia, Italy. He then moved to the United Kingdom, where he completed two internships, one in anesthesia and one rotating, at Dick White Referrals, one of the largest referral centers in Europe. After completing his residency at ...
Nov 24, 2024•29 min
There's been a LOT of talk about Ketamine recently. Not only as an induction agent but also its larger role as an NMDA receptor antagonist and how this plays into chronic conditions such as pain, anxiety, and depression. Today we talk with Dr. Matthew Gurney DECVAA on how we can better utilize this drug class and some of the science behind it! Dr. Matthew Gurney is an internationally respected British anaesthetist. A specialist in anaesthesia and analgesia, Matt trained at the University of Live...
Oct 12, 2024•24 min
So, have you ever wondered what it would be like to make the switch from veterinary nursing to the human side? Well, today we are talking with Morgan McCann who has done just that! Morgan McCann has been a credentialed veterinary technician since 2010 and became a VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia) in 2018. In 2020 she began the process of transitioning to human healthcare with the goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. In 2024 she graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nurs...
Sep 26, 2024•42 min
Today we are joined by Dr. Omar Zaheer, DACZM discussing all things Piggies and why your dosing calculations may be a lil off! Dr. Omar Zaheer graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) in 2016. Following graduation, he completed a small animal rotating internship at the Veterinary Emergency Clinic in Toronto before returning to the OVC for a specialty avian & exotic internship. Following completion of this internship, he completed a residency at the OVC in avian & exotic medici...
Aug 12, 2024•39 min
Does team culture play a role in patient safety? The research may surprise you! Dr. Cyndie Courtney is back for round 2 helping us dive into the research on how teams work together and what that means for patient safety. Dr. Cyndie Courtney is a small animal veterinarian and recovering toxic team member. She speaks, writes, and consults internationally using peer-reviewed research and real-life experiences to improve individual/organizational performance/wellbeing by addressing workplace conflic...
Jul 30, 2024•40 min
You've probably seen a study referenced in lectures or online forums as a way to present evidence-based theories. But have you ever wondered what all those terms in the studies mean? How does sample size affect the quality of the study? What is in-vivo vs in-vitro and how do these things affect the quality of information you are receiving and making patient decisions based upon? Today I am joined by Dr. Cyndie Courtney, a DVM who also happens to study why people do the things they do at work. Dr...
Jun 01, 2024•36 min
Waking up is hard to do...especially when it's after anesthesia. This episode of the podcast features Darci Palmer LVT, VTS (anesthesia & analgesia) discussing the differences between dysphoria, emergence delirium, and pain. We talk about different medication options and tips for making anesthesia recovery smoother overall. Darci Palmer has been a credentialed veterinary technician for 21 years. She obtained her veterinary technician specialty in anesthesia and analgesia in 2006 while workin...
Jan 01, 2024•27 min
You know I love my ventilator... see the photo for how I reacted when we got the new Mindray Veta 5 in-house! But when using a ventilator in anesthesia, what do those modes even mean? Volume control, Pressure control, PEEP...it can get a bit confusing, so we have Glynis here to make sense of it all. Today we talk to Glynis Wileman. She has a PhD - AG Med, while she did not stay in that field, she has worked clinically for 13 years in STARS - specializing in Infant transport/ ECMO, and ventilatio...
Nov 10, 2023•34 min
As you all know recovery from anesthesia and surgery is an integral part of the process. In today's episode, we talk with Feliza Lopez a VTS ECC technician in NYC who explains what makes an optimal recovery. This one is for you nutrition nerds because guess what??? it plays a huge role in recovery for some of our ICU patients. Feliza Lopez is a speaker, educator, and the Director of Emergency and Critical Care at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York City.
Sep 04, 2023•30 min
When it comes to onboarding your new hires what's the one thing that seems to inevitably get messed up? Training! Especially in surgery and anesthesia. In this episode, we talk to Clair Sauer, MSEd, CVT about ways we train folks (hint...there are best practices) ways we test folks on knowledge, and ways to make sure we are setting new employees up for success. Clair Sauer started her career as a High School Science teacher. After teaching in the USA and Japan over the span of a decade, she earne...
Aug 02, 2023•38 min
We've all been there...the patient comes to our surgery service with buprenorphine on board. Now what do we do? Can we give pure mu opioids? Is buprenorphine enough for pain? How long do we have to wait for efficacy? Today we are talking with anesthesiologist Bryce Dooley about buprenorphine and why we may judge this molecule harshly. Buprenorphine is a great drug when used appropriately and a mainstay addition to many analgesic plans.
Jul 04, 2023•32 min
Worlds collide on this episode of the VAN podcast! We are joined by CRNA known as "AnesthesiaGawd" on the socials. We talk about becoming a CRNA, differences in human vs vet med, drug pharmacology, and why I love a Macintosh blade! Look for Anesthesia Gawd on Instagram to follow along.
Jun 23, 2023•45 min
There one drug class that can strike fear into the hearts of veterinary professionals: NMBA or muscle relaxers. This drug class is often used in optho patients however can prove to be beneficial in many other patient presentations. On today's podcast we talk to Rian Ashmore a VTS Anesthesia about what NMBA's are, how they function, and how you can utilize them in your practice. Rian graduated from Minnesota School of Business in 2012 and worked in private practice for several years before joinin...
Jun 09, 2023•24 min
Your mission should you choose to accept it...anesthetize this old cranky cat with kidney disease. There are many variables to consider and VTS Anesthesia Elizabeth Hart is here to help us through. What drugs should we avoid? What monitoring is the most important? Elizabeth explains what things to prepare to make anesthesia for the kidney dz patient a breeze! Elizabeth graduated from Michigan State University (GO SPARTANS!!!!) in 2003 with her BS in Agribusiness, she obtained her VTS in 2022 and...
May 30, 2023•28 min
BP goes down and the fluids go up...that's the way it goes right? Well it might be time to re-think those old rules of hypotension management. Today we are joined by Michelle Albino a fantastic VTS(anesthesia) out of NYC to discuss when to bring on the fluids and when to just get your vasoactive drugs going. Born and raised in New York, Michelle graduated from SUNY Delhi and has been an LVT since 2003. For 12 years, she was employed at the Animal Medical Center in New York City in the anesthesia...
May 17, 2023•35 min
Is Gabapentin the new Tramadol? We see quite a many post on Veterinary Anesthesia Nerds discussing the use of Gabapentin for acute post surgical pain..but what does the evidence say? Here Stephen breaks down how this drug works, why acute pain may not be the best use of gabapentin and what you should reach for instead. Resources mentioned in this episode: Pypendop B, Siao K, Lkiw J. Thermal antinociceptive effect of orally administered gabapentin in healthy cats. Am J Vet Res. 2010;71(9). doi:10...
Apr 25, 2023•20 min
Anesthesia Machine? Check ✅ Emergency Drugs? Check ✅ Checklists are an integral part of our daily lives in the vet clinic, increasing efficiency and safety. You may use them in you OR, but do you use them in your ER? Today Amy Newfield is here to talk to us about WHY checklists are the s**t and why we should be using them everywhere. Amy knows education. She has received speaker of the year awards, worked with translators in over four countries, has over 60 published printed works in eight count...
Apr 05, 2023•31 min
well we know cannabis has been a hot topic in vet med for a while now but it still seems like there are some inconsistencies in the information out there. Is it legal to discuss with clients? What do the laws say? Does it even work? What the heck is a COA? These questions and more are answered by my guests, the enigmatic Stephen Cital, and the inspiring Liz Hughston both California based RVTs with extensive experience in cannabis medicine. Resources from the show notes: https://link.springer.com...
Mar 20, 2023•42 min
Sometimes you hit a point in your career where you inveitibly ask, "What's next?" Often that next is a leadership position. But what if you don't want to be a manager? Or, what if you do but you done know where to start learning about leadership and management? In this episode we talk with RVT Senani Ratnayake as she help us understand the different oprtions, what we should do if we feel stuck, and how to become great leaders. Senani attended Queen’s University and the University of Guelph where...
Mar 13, 2023•42 min
