Pig Sedation and Anesthesia for Medical Research
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 011464 Bucharest, Romania
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Animals 2023, 13(24), 3807; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13243807
Submission received: 9 November 2023
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Revised: 6 December 2023
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Accepted: 6 December 2023
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Published: 10 December 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anaesthesia and Pain Management in Large Animals)
Simple Summary
Anesthesia plays a crucial role in ensuring the ethical treatment of research animals and obtaining reliable and accurate data. Pig anesthesia is a significant aspect of clinical veterinary practice, especially when performing surgical procedures, diagnostic imaging, various medical interventions, and scientific research procedures. Proper anesthesia protocols ensure that the animals are kept unconscious and do not experience pain or distress, which is not only ethically responsible but also needed by regulatory bodies and animal welfare standards. This article is a narrative review that presents considerations for sedation and anesthesia of pigs, highlighting species particularities and reviewing the agents and protocols commonly used for medical and scientific research.
Abstract
In clinical veterinary practice, proper training and expertise in anesthesia administration and monitoring are essential. Pigs are suitable experimental animals for many surgical techniques because they are similar in size to humans and have a short reproductive cycle. This makes them ideal for research concerning organ transplantation, cardiovascular surgery, and other procedures that require a large animal model. Sedation and premedication should be administered at the lowest dose to be effective with predictable results and reduced adverse effects, to ensure the safety of both the animal and the team involved in the procedure, with a fast onset and optimizing the induction and maintenance of anesthesia. The goal of induction is to achieve a safe and effective level of anesthesia that ensures patient safety and facilitates research. Most of the time, inhalation anesthesia with endotracheal intubation is the ideal choice for maintenance of anesthesia. The difficulties related to endotracheal intubation of pigs can be overcome by knowing the anatomical peculiarities. Effective analgesia tailored to the specific procedure, the pig’s condition, and individual responses to medications should complete the maintenance and recovery protocols, reducing perioperative complications.
Keywords:
sedation; anesthesia; pig; research models; protocols
