Sedation may represent a fundamental welfare tool for reducing suffering and stress during certain diagnostic and clinical procedures. This protocol promotes an ethical perspective on sedation, recognizing that preventing severe fear and anxiety is often more beneficial for animal welfare than attempting to complete procedures through forced restraint.
The protocol encourages clinicians to evaluate each patient’s emotional condition individually before selecting the most appropriate handling approach, always prioritizing the option associated with the lowest physical and psychological burden. Recommendations also include adapting pharmacological protocols according to species, age, emotional sensitivity, and clinical condition while avoiding unnecessarily deep sedation whenever lighter alternatives may safely achieve the same objective.
The goal is to integrate sedation as a welfare-centered clinical resource rather than merely a tool for immobilization.