Anesthesia and sedation of foals.

Physiologic similarities and differences between foals and adult horses, including response to pain, cardiopulmonary function, ability to compensate for dehydration and hemorrhage, and response to anesthetic drugs, are considered in this article. Preanesthetic evaluation, choice of anesthetic drugs, technique, and monitoring support requirements through to anesthetic recovery are based on these physiologic considerations. Anesthetic techniques discussed include drugs for premedication, parenteral or inhalational anesthetic induction, and maintenance using inhalational and parenteral anesthesia. Where possible, the cardiopulmonary response of foals to individual anesthetic drugs or a combination of them is provided.