Elevate your anaesthesia and analgesia skills with this intensive two-day loco-regional veterinary anaesthesia course. Designed for nurses who want to stay at the forefront of this fast-moving field, this programme combines expert-led theory with hands-on practical training. You’ll learn a pragmatic, holistic approach to loco-regional techniques that enhances patient comfort, improves clinical outcomes, and builds real-world confidence in anaesthesia and analgesia management. Walk away with practical skills and strategies you can immediately implement in your daily clinical practice.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain the core principles of loco-regional anaesthesia and the pharmacology of commonly used local anaesthetic agents.
- Describe and compare a range of loco-regional anaesthesia techniques, including head, abdominal, forelimb, and hindlimb blocks.
- Select appropriate loco-regional techniques based on patient, procedure, and clinical context.
- Apply ultrasound guidance to identify relevant anatomical landmarks for loco-regional anaesthesia.
- Demonstrate correct performance of head, limb, and neuraxial blocks using safe and effective technique.
- Evaluate block success and modify anaesthetic and analgesic plans accordingly.
Instructors:
Sarah Gibson - BVSc MRCVS CertVA ECVAA
Heide Kloppel -Dr med vet, CertVA
Agenda
DAY 1
8:45 Registration
9:00-10:30 THEORY
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Pain and analgesia
Loco-regional anaesthesia
Pharmacology of local anaesthetics
TECHNIQUES
Blind - principles
Nerve Stimulator – physics and use
Ultrasound – principle and use
Discussion advantages/ disadvantages of the techniques
10:30-10:50 Break
10:50-12:30 THEORY
BLOCKS OF THE HEAD, EYE AND EAR (all blind blocks)
Theory (indications, approach, complications)
Maxillary, infraorbital (intra/extra-oral techniques)
Mandibular, mental (intra/extra-oral techniques)
Retrobulbar, periorbital
Aural
TOPICAL/OTHER
Dermal application, mucous membranes
Wound soaker catheters
Intercostal
12:30:-13:30 Lunch at Novarello restaurant
13:30 – 15:30 PRACTICAL
Needle selection: length, type
Sterility
Equipment – nerve stim instruction
Blocks of head, eye and ear
US practice on agar phantoms
15:30- 15:45 Break
15:45-17:00 PRACTICAL
Blocks of head, eye and ear
US practice on agar phantoms
CASE DISCUSSION
Dental extraction and flaps
TECA; ear flush
Nasal scope/flush/biopsy
DAY 2
8:30-10:00 THEORY BLOCKS OF HINDLIMB (nerve stimulator or US guided)
Theory (indications, approach, complications)
Femoral/saphenous, sciatic
Digital, Interdigital
IVRA BLOCKS OF FORELIMB
Radial/Ulnar – proximal and distal approach
(Brachial plexus)
Intra-articular
10:00-10:20 Break
10:20-12:00 THEORY
BLOCKS FOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY
Theory (indications, approach, complications)
Incisional
TAP
Testicular
Ovarian pedicle
Abdominal instillation
PRACTICAL Blocks for abdominal surgery
12:00:-13:00
Lunch at Novarello restaurant
13:00 - 14:45 PRACTICAL
Blocks of hindlimb (blind blocks food dye; US guided sciatic saphenous)
Blocks of forelimb (blind blocks food dye radius/ulnar; US brachial plexus)
14:45- 15:00 Break
15:00-16:00 CASE DISCUSSION/ QUESTIONS/ CLOSING SESSION
TPLO
Forelimb amputation
Sternotomy
Polytrauma with chest wound and abdominal involvement