Track 1: Baby Steps: Perioperative Considerations for Neonatal Rodents

Neonatal rodents serve as valuable animal models across a wide range of surgical research applications, yet their perioperative management presents unique challenges due to the complex and dynamic physiologic transitions that occur during early development. This session will review key maturational differences that influence anesthetic approaches, with an emphasis on the importance of tailoring anesthetic selection to the developmental stage rather than extrapolating protocols from mature animals. The currently available literature will be discussed alongside emerging research to inform readily applicable techniques for anesthesia, analgesia, and perioperative care and monitoring. Attendees will gain current, evidence-based knowledge and practical strategies for performing surgical and anesthetic procedures in neonatal mice and rats.

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