Okuzeka
Veterinary Medicine vocabulary · Surgery and Anaesthesia

Intubate

Meaning in veterinary medicine, with examples

/ˈɪntjʊbeɪt/verbCommon term

In veterinary medicine, intubate means: To pass a tube through the mouth into an animal's windpipe (trachea) to keep the airway open and deliver oxygen and anaesthetic gas.

In Turkish: entübe etmek

How it is used

Done right after induction of general anaesthesia. Vets choose the size of the endotracheal tube (ET tube), inflate the cuff and extubate when the swallowing reflex returns. In cats the larynx is sprayed with local anaesthetic first, because it goes into spasm easily.

Example sentences

  1. We intubated her with a 4.5 mm tube and connected her to the anaesthetic machine.

  2. Brachycephalic dogs can be hard to intubate.

Common collocations

  • intubate the patient
  • endotracheal intubation
  • difficult intubation
  • extubate
  • anaesthesiaA controlled state, produced with drugs, in which an animal feels no pain and is usually unconscious, so that surgery or other procedures can be done safely.
  • premedicationDrugs given before a general anaesthetic to calm the animal, reduce pain and lower the amount of anaesthetic needed. Usually shortened to premed.
  • come roundTo wake up and become conscious again after an anaesthetic or after fainting. American English prefers come around or wake up.
  • vital signsThe basic measurements that show how well an animal's body is working: temperature, heart rate, pulse and breathing rate.

More terms: Surgery and Anaesthesia

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.