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Anesthesia
Anesthesia: What to Expect
There is always a risk with anesthesia however, we try to minimize that risk as much as possible by using the safest anesthesia as well as intensive monitoring of the patient. We begin with a thorough evaluation of the pet with a complete physical exam. We design anesthetic protocols to be specific for each patient.
Preanesthetic blood testing is important to ensure your pet is healthy and to ensure that the liver and kidneys can handle anesthetic. If there is a problem with the bloodwork and abnormalities are noted, we can either alter the protocols or delay the procedure. For geriatric or ill patients, additional testing may be recommended to include, x- rays, additional blood testing, EKG, etc.
Every patient is monitored during anesthesia using state of the art equipment that helps enable us to track EKG, blood pressure, oxygenation, heartrate and carbon dioxide levels. The monitors are paired with a trained technician who will closely monitor your pet until he/she is awake.
Injectable anesthesia as well as gas anesthesia will be used and tailored to your pet specifically. A premedication will also be used before the procedure to decrease the amount of anesthesia required and to prevent pain associated with surgery. Intravenous fluid therapy will also be used to help maintain normal blood pressure during anesthesia and allow for rapid administration of medications in case of an emergency situation.
Before your pet undergoes anesthesia, your pet will be examined and preanesthetic bloodwork will be recommended. Your veterinarian wants to make sure the animal is healthy enough to undergo anesthesia. Your veterinarian or veterinary technician will explain the procedure to you and discuss the patient assessment and risks, the proposed anesthetic plan, and any medical or surgical alternatives before obtaining informed consent to anesthetize your pet and perform the procedure. To help reduce the risk of complications, it is very important that you follow the directions of the veterinarian and veterinary technician, especially regarding patient preparation.
Before the Day of the Procedure
On the Day of the Procedure
Before and during the Procedure
As the veterinary team prepares your pet for the procedure, your veterinarian will:
After the Procedure
When your pet is awake, aware, warm, and comfortable, he or she will be discharged. But first, the veterinarian or veterinary staff will: