The Anaesthesia & Analgesia proceedings covered two important areas of clinical practice: anaesthesia and analgesia. The anaesthesia component provided participants with an update on monitoring techniques and equipment, which can assist veterinarians to detect and respond to complications before they become major disasters. Common anaesthetic complications were discussed and strategies for dealing with these complications are also outlined. Included was a session on artificial ventilation; putting the theory into practice. This event was held in Melbourne in May, and in Brisbane in November 2009.