Is your pet scheduled to undergo anesthesia for a procedure? Anesthesia can feel scary, but here are some of the ways we work to make it as safe as possible.
The first step in ensuring safety is the pre-anesthetic exam. This is a head-to-toe evaluation of your pet’s overall health. We begin by checking your pet’s eyes and ears for any discharge or inflammation. Next, we examine the teeth for tartar buildup and signs of gingivitis. We then check the lymph nodes under the jaw and palpate the head and neck for any asymmetry or masses.
We listen carefully to your pet’s heart, checking for murmurs or arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms), and also evaluate the lungs to assess breathing. A thorough palpation of the abdomen follows to check for any abnormalities or masses. Finally, we examine the remaining lymph nodes and evaluate your pet’s gait for any concerns.
Next, blood is drawn for testing to ensure the kidneys and liver are healthy enough to process anesthesia. An ECG (electrocardiogram), which measures the electrical activity of the heart, may also be performed to further assess heart health. Once these steps are complete, your pet is ready for anesthesia.
The next step involves administering medications to provide preemptive pain control and mild sedation, making IV catheter placement more comfortable. The IV catheter is a small tube placed into a vein, allowing us to administer anesthetic medications, fluids, and emergency drugs if needed.
After the IV is placed, a medication is given to help your pet fall asleep. Once asleep, a breathing tube is placed in the airway to assist with breathing and to deliver the anesthetic gas that keeps your pet asleep during the procedure. The anesthetic level is carefully adjusted and monitored throughout to ensure your pet remains safely anesthetized.
Once your pet is under anesthesia, monitoring equipment is used to track breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels. A dedicated technician is assigned solely to monitor your pet both visually and through these devices. Vital signs are recorded every five minutes for the duration of the procedure.
The procedure is then performed, whether it is a spay or neuter, mass removal, or dental cleaning.
After the procedure is complete, your pet is taken off the anesthetic gas and placed in a warm, quiet, and dimly lit environment to support a smooth recovery. Waking up from anesthesia can be disorienting, so we do everything we can to keep your pet calm and comfortable.
Once your pet is awake, the doctor will call you with an update on their status and how the procedure went. Most pets stay with us for a few hours after recovery to ensure they are fully awake and stable before going home.
After anesthesia, your pet may be groggy or unsteady for the rest of the day. It’s best to keep them in a quiet area and offer gentle reassurance. Be sure to keep them away from stairs and prevent them from jumping on or off furniture, as they may remain wobbly for up to 12 hours.
Anesthesia can be intimidating, but we take every precaution to make it as safe as possible for your pet.
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