Local and regional anesthesia in ruminants and swine

This article reviews the use of popular local and regional anesthetic and analgesic techniques for surgical anesthesia and postoperative analgesia in cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. The emphasis is on proper technique, the use of a 2% lidocaine hydrochloride solution, and the epidural administration of alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonists and opioids for producing intra- and postoperative analgesia in ruminants and swine while preserving consciousness and minimizing side effects.