The Anaesthesia Section is part of the Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies (CACS). The Section consists of 4 anaesthetists of whom one is registered as a Specialist Veterinary Anaesthetist with the South African Veterinary Council and Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthetists. Two positions are currently vacant.

The Section provides an anaesthesia service within the Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital and also for external cases on a limited basis. Anaesthesia is required for a variety of animals, ranging from domestic animals such as cats, dogs, cattle, sheep and pigs to wild animals such as rhinoceros, elephant, buffalo, lion, giraffe, leopard, cheetah, gorilla, orangutang, and antelope species such as the roan antelope.