For some procedures, your pet will need to be administered general anesthesia so that he or she will be unconscious and not feel pain. Many pet owners worry about their pets being administered general anesthesia.
We can assure you that modern anesthesia is generally quite safe; to further lower any risk, we perform a physical examination and offer the option for blood work ahead of time to catch any underlying health issues. In patients over the age of 7 years for medium to large breed dogs, 5 yrs for Giant Breed dogs and 9 years old for small dogs and cats we require pre-op blood work as the anesthetic risk is greater in senior pets. All pets undergoing non–elective surgery must have pre-op bloodwork since many have underlying health problems.
If health problems are found during pre-op blood and urine testing, it may mean anesthesia must be delayed while the problems are dealt with or it may we can proceed with anesthesia but modify the protocol to deal with the underlying health problem.
We follow a specific anesthetic protocol, including monitoring vital signs during the procedure, to ensure the safety of our patients.
We begin most general anesthetic procedures by administering a sedative/pain relief/ anti-inflammatory to help your pet relax and decrease any anxiety and pain. We then administer an intravenous drug to provide complete anesthesia and place a breathing tube into the patient’s trachea (windpipe). To maintain the state of unconsciousness, we deliver a gas anesthetic in combination with oxygen through the breathing tube.
We also place your pet on a special blanket that keeps them warm throughout the procedure.
A veterinarian or veterinary team member monitors your pet continuously from the time they are administered the anesthetic induction drug until they are awake. We also continuously monitors your pet to ensure they are waking properly, warm and comfortable and their pain is well controlled.
Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns about your pet receiving general anesthesia or about the procedure for which your pet is scheduled.
