Sedation as an Alternative to Anesthesia in the Avian Patient

Sedation as an Alternative to Anesthesia in the Avian Patient

Date: May 13, 2026
Time: 8:00 PM (US Eastern Time)
Category: Anesth/Analges
CE Credits: 1
RACE Approved: Approved
Instructor: Angela M. Lennox

Description: Birds frequently require chemical restraint for handling, diagnostic workups, or surgical intervention. Sedation, particularly when paired with local analgesia, offers a safer alternative to general anesthesia for many minor procedures and should be the first consideration whenever full anesthesia is not clinically necessary.

Webinar Description: Avian patients often benefit from sedation or anesthesia across a wide spectrum of clinical scenarios — from calming highly stressed individuals during routine handling to enabling diagnostic imaging and minor surgeries. A growing body of research supports the use of various sedative agents in birds, and when combined with local analgesia, these protocols can safely facilitate procedures previously requiring full anesthesia. Clinicians should default to sedation any time general anesthesia is not specifically warranted.

Webinar Agenda:

• Introduction to sedation and anesthesia protocols in psittacine patients
• Comparative discussion of risks and benefits of each approach
• Review of pharmacologic agents currently used for avian sedation
• Clinical scenarios where sedation may replace general anesthesia
• Administration techniques, patient monitoring, and recovery best practices