Anesthesia

Many humans have their own worries and fears about undergoing anesthesia and so it is fairly unsurprising that they are also anxious or even downright terrified at the prospect of their pet being given anesthetic medications. Nevertheless, there are some veterinary procedures that absolutely must be performed with your pet under anesthesia. This is because using anesthesia doesn’t only ensure that the process is painless, but also that your pet can remain completely still. This is important because even the most well-trained pet doesn’t necessarily always understand or comply with instructions. Unfortunately, this is something that can put your beloved animal at risk since the safety of many surgeries and treatments relies on total complicity.

Fortunately, the use of anesthesia can dramatically increase the safety profile of any veterinary procedure. Here at Lone Oak Animal Clinic, we are pleased to be able to offer a comprehensive animal anesthesia service during which the safety of your precious pet is paramount.

Pre-anesthesia evaluation

Before your pet can even be approved for a procedure that requires the use of anesthetic, she must first undergo a pre-anesthesia evaluation. This is carried out to ensure that your pet is in good physical condition and can tolerate the anesthetic with minimal risk to her health and wellbeing.

This evaluation involves assessing her medical history as well as her current health and any medications she takes. In addition to a physical examination, it may also be necessary for her to have blood tests and potentially even x-rays, ultrasounds or an echocardiogram. These enable us to obtain a complete picture of the health of your pet so that we can be certain that she is a low-risk candidate for anesthesia.

Monitoring anesthesia

As with any medical procedure, the use of anesthesia does carry risks. The pre-anesthesia evaluation significantly reduces these, but to minimize them further, we ensure that your pet is continually monitored throughout the time that she is under the effects of the anesthetic. This is comparable to the sort of monitoring you would receive if you were to undergo a procedure using a general anesthetic including observing her:

• Oxygen levels

• Breathing

• Blood pressure

• Heart rate

• Body temperature

If there is anything that is a cause for concern, the anesthesia could be stopped immediately and your pet safely bought around.

Following anesthesia

After your procedure, it will take a short while for the effects of the anesthetic to wear off. During this time your pet will be able to recover in her own private, quiet space and she will be closely monitored to ensure that she is no adverse or lasting effects from the anesthetic. Your veterinary care team will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your pet’s surgery or aftercare, and you may be able to wait with your furbaby until you can go home.

If you have any further concerns about the use of animal anesthetic, or if you would like to book an appointment to discuss your pet with us, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our animal clinic in Paducah, KY today.