Anesthesia and Your Pet
Many pet owners worry unnecessarily about anesthesia in their pets. Although anesthesia can never be completely free of risk, today's modern anesthetics make that risk very small.
The same anesthetics that allow complicated surgeries such as heart and kidney transplants to be performed in humans are used in pets as well. Even elderly and very frail animals can usually be anesthetized safely. In general, the risks from NOT performing a needed procedure, such as a dental cleaning or tumor removal, are much higher than the risk from the anesthesia.
Prior to anesthesia, we use blood tests to help us determine whether a procedure will be safe for your pet. We require preoperative blood screening before anesthesia is administered. Even young and apparently healthy animals can have serious organ dysfunctions that are not evident without such testing. Chest x-rays are taken if there is any suspicion of heart disease, lung disease, or cancer.
During anesthesia, your pet will be monitored closely for blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and respiration. The anesthesia is always administered by certified or registered veterinary technicians or doctors to ensure safety and proper dosing. Intravenous fluids may also be given if kidney or liver function is compromised to ensure your pet's full recovery.
With proper care and monitoring, your pet should go home after anesthesia just as perky and healthy as when he arrived at the hospital, whether he or she is 16 weeks or 16 years of age.
If you have further concerns about anesthesia in your pet, we would be happy to discuss the risks and benefits of any procedure with you and explain the exact protocol that will be used. Please let us know!
The same anesthetics that allow complicated surgeries such as heart and kidney transplants to be performed in humans are used in pets as well. Even elderly and very frail animals can usually be anesthetized safely. In general, the risks from NOT performing a needed procedure, such as a dental cleaning or tumor removal, are much higher than the risk from the anesthesia.
Prior to anesthesia, we use blood tests to help us determine whether a procedure will be safe for your pet. We require preoperative blood screening before anesthesia is administered. Even young and apparently healthy animals can have serious organ dysfunctions that are not evident without such testing. Chest x-rays are taken if there is any suspicion of heart disease, lung disease, or cancer.
During anesthesia, your pet will be monitored closely for blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and respiration. The anesthesia is always administered by certified or registered veterinary technicians or doctors to ensure safety and proper dosing. Intravenous fluids may also be given if kidney or liver function is compromised to ensure your pet's full recovery.
With proper care and monitoring, your pet should go home after anesthesia just as perky and healthy as when he arrived at the hospital, whether he or she is 16 weeks or 16 years of age.
If you have further concerns about anesthesia in your pet, we would be happy to discuss the risks and benefits of any procedure with you and explain the exact protocol that will be used. Please let us know!
