What is the best practice to prevent hypothermia during anesthesia in small animals?

• A. Pre-warming, active warming during procedure, and postoperative thermal support
• B. Avoid warming to prevent overheating
• C. Place patient in a drafty room to promote heat loss
• D. Use only ambient room temperature without warming devices

Answer: (A)

Maintaining normothermia during anesthesia relies on proactive warming at all stages: before anesthesia, during the procedure, and after. Pre-warming builds a heat reserve so the body can better tolerate the initial drop in temperature that anesthesia often causes. Active warming during the procedure provides a continuous heat input to counteract ongoing heat loss from the environment and the effects of anesthesia, using devices like forced-air blankets or circulating warm-water systems. Postoperative thermal support keeps the patient warm as recovery progresses and metabolic heat production remains low, reducing the risk of hypothermia as normal physiology returns.

Relying on ambient room temperature alone, or placing the patient in a drafty environment, would allow heat to escape quickly and fail to compensate for the impaired thermoregulation under anesthesia. Avoiding warming altogether prevents maintaining normothermia and increases the risk of complications associated with hypothermia.