Advantages and guidelines for using opioid agonists for induction of anesthesia.

Opioids have a central role in the anesthetic management of small animals, as premedicants, as part of a balanced anesthetic technique, or for the provision of postoperative analgesia. These drugs are safe to use, provide excellent analgesia, and are easily reversible. They cause minimal cardiovascular depression and induce no deleterious renal or hepatic changes. These agents, combined with a sedative, generally provide an ideal anesthetic state.