What is anesthesia?
Literally, anesthesia means "without sensation". Anesthesia is a necessary tool for rendering a patient
incapable of feeling or responding to irritating/painful stimuli commonly encountered during routine
diagnostic, medical and surgical procedures.
Do you have to sedate every pet that comes in for medical services?
No, and furthermore, we prefer not to use sedatives unless safety issues are involved. Our experience puts
animals at ease when they come to our office. In general, most of our patients are extremely cooperative with
examinations, vaccinations, and other procedures and don't require anything more than a gentle,
experienced hand when it comes to providing their medical needs.
What types of anesthesia are available at your clinic?
When necessary, we use several different anesthesia techniques depending on the medical or surgical
procedure. These techniques range from simple nerve blocks, and sedation (no loss of conciousness) to
general anesthesia (complete loss of conciousness) which mimics a deep sleep. For safety purposes and
maximum patient comfort, most surgeries require general anesthesia.
Are there any risks associated with anesthesia?
Any type of anesthesia (human or animal) presents a risk of complications or, in rare instances, even death. It
is difficult, if not impossible to predict how any given patient will react during an anesthetic episode. Please
be assured, however, that we take anesthesia events seriously and our goal with each anesthetic patient is to
minimize these risks and be ready to address any complications that may arise.
What will you do to minimize the anesthesia risks for my pet?
After conducting a complete physical exam and reviewing your pets medical history, each anesthesia is
individually planned. We use the safest anesthetic agents currently available, and all patients undergoing
general anesthesia are provided with oxygen support, and are monitored for changes in vital signs including
heart rate, EKG, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, and body temperature.
Is there anything I can do to help minimize the anesthesia risks for my pet?
Yes. Please provide us with a complete medical history for your pet, and consider having us run some basic
pre-operative blood tests that might give us a clearer picture of your pets overall health.