The Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast

386 - HDYTT: Quick Sedation in Dogs and Cats

The Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast

Show Notes

Tasha McNerney, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), tackles one of the most common clinical dilemmas, how do you safely sedate dogs and cats for quick procedures without committing them to a full day of anesthesia or risking complications. If you have ever hesitated before radiographs, wound repair, or diagnostics because you wanted fear-free handling but also needed efficiency, this episode delivers practical answers. Tasha walks through reversible sedation protocols, multimodal analgesia, and how to combine opioids, dexmedetomidine, and local blocks to maximize comfort while protecting the airway. She also shares feline sedation strategies, when to add ketamine, and how local anesthesia can do the heavy lifting for painful procedures. You will walk away with confidence, safer sedation choices, and tools to deliver high-quality care even in spectrum-of-care situations. Gang, let’s get into this episode! Veterinary Anesthesia Nerds: https://www.veterinaryanesthesianerds.com/

Tasha McNerney obtained her CVT in 2005 and has worked clinically in the areas of anesthesia and surgery ever since. Tasha obtained her CVPP (certified veterinary pain practitioner) designation in 2013 and became a veterinary technician specialist in anesthesia in 2015. Tasha has been a featured speaker on various anesthesia and pain management topics at several international veterinary conferences. Tasha is the author of many articles and blogs on anesthesia and pain management related topics. In 2013 Tasha created the Facebook group Veterinary Anesthesia Nerds, which has over 65,000 members taking part in education and exchange of ideas from all over the world!

More from The Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast

Oct 22, 2026

Dr. Bob Lester, DVM, co-founder of WellHaven Pet Hospital, is back, and we're talking about a silver tsunami that could completely change veterinary medicine! As pets live longer, what does that mean for our appointment schedules, chronic disease management, preventive care, and the way we run our practices? We're digging into the opportunities of geriatric veterinary medicine, how wellness plans could help pets live longer, and why communicating the value of veterinary care matters more than ever. Gang, let’s get into this episode!

Oct 15, 2026

Dr. Alex Sigmund, DVM, DACVO, a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist and the face behind The Vet Eye Guy, is here to call us out on something I may or may not be guilty of: reaching for NeoPolyBac every time a dog shows up with a red eye! We're digging into why that approach can lead to missed diagnoses, how to recognize serious conditions like glaucoma and dry eye, and the essential ophthalmic diagnostics every general practice should have in its toolbox. From tonometry tips to empowering veterinary technicians, Alex shares practical ways to improve eye care, practice better antibiotic stewardship, and catch problems before they become emergencies. Gang, let’s get into this episode!

Oct 7, 2026

Dr. Ryane Englar is joining me on the podcast today to tell her unique story: What happens when you go blind as a veterinarian? Dr. Englar takes us through the journey, from her first symptoms, to diagnosis, to treatment and transplant, to learning to move through the world differently with a disability. Dr. Englar is extremely open, honest, and insightful in this episode, and she shares some really powerful messages that apply to us all. Definitely do not miss this one!

Oct 1, 2026

In the 420th episode of the Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark talks with Steven Satal about the state of cannabinoid medicine in veterinary care after the early surge of interest 8–10 years ago. Satal clarifies terminology and legal distinctions between hemp (≤0.3% THC) and cannabis/marijuana (>0.3% THC), noting the 2018 Farm Bill definitions may change. They discuss how the field has plateaued but become more normalized, with over 40 PK/PD dosing studies across species and increasing specialist referrals for cannabis consults focused on harm reduction, dosing, and product selection. Satal emphasizes cannabinoids are not a silver bullet; his main uses are chronic pain, epileptic disorders, and canine cognitive dysfunction, with some evidence for itch reduction in dermatology. He typically starts dogs/cats at 2 mg/kg CBD twice daily and adjusts, stresses variable product quality, cites brands with supporting studies, and outlines cautions with sedating drugs and liver monitoring; he does not recommend cannabinoids for pre-visit anxiety.

Sep 24, 2026

Dr. Andy Roark, host of The Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast, flips the script and lets Kelsey Beth Carpenter run the show for the launch of a brand new six part miniseries, Cone of Shame Canada. The topic on the table: human pharmacies have entered the veterinary pharmacy business north of the border, and Andy walks through why that regulatory change is rattling Canadian practices, what the US already learned from its own online pharmacy shakeup years ago, and the three things he thinks matter most right now, protecting client trust, talking openly with the team, and evolving the business model in manageable phases rather than panicking. By the end, listeners get a clear-eyed roadmap for navigating pharmacy disruption, plus a sneak peek at the lineup of guests still to come in the series. Gang, lets get into this episode! This episode is brought to you ad-free by Boehringer-Ingelheim Canada! Kelsey Carpenter is a Registered Veterinary Technician with over a decade of experience working in emergency hospitals across California. She currently works as the Social Media Manager for DrAndyRoark.com and a Content Specialist for the Uncharted Veterinary Conference. Some of Kelsey’s passions include the open hospital concept, the power of creativity and humor, the overlap of science and art, and sharing lessons learned from living life with chronic illness. Kelsey is probably most known for two of her favorite hobbies: writing and performing comedic songs about veterinary medicine and acting as a full time stage mom for her Chihuahua mix, Birdie.

See all episodes →