Anesthesia

American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Classification by Physical Status*

I - A normal healthy patient

-no discernible disease; animals entered for ovariohysterectomy, castration, declaw, cosmetic procedures

II - A patient with mild systemic disease

-skin tumor, fracture without shock, cruciate repair, uncomplicated hernia, cryptorchidectomy, localized infection, compensated cardiac disease

III - A patient with severe systemic disease

-fever, dehydration, anemia, cachexia, moderate hypovolemia

IV - A patient with severe systemic disease that is a constant threat to life

-uremia, toxemia, sevee dehydration or hypovolemia, severe anemia, cardiac decompensation, emaciation, high fever

V - A moribund patient not expected to survive 24 hours with or without surgery

-extreme shock or dehydration, terminal malignancy or infection, severe trauma

*from: Lumb, WV, Jones, EW. Veterinary Anesthesia 1984.