Anesthesia: Taking the "FEAR"out of it.
Everything in life has it's risks and anesthesia is no different but we can make anesthesia no more risky then riding a bike, crossing the road, flying in an airplane; things we all do on a regular basis and think nothing of it.
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The Fears
“I’m afraid my pet will die on the table,” an owner says. “I’m too afraid to put him under.”
“I’m afraid my pet will die on the table,” an owner says. “I’m too afraid to put him under.”
How Anesthesia Works:
The simplest definition of anesthesia is putting an animal into an unconscious state so the pet will be immobile and pain free during a procedure.
Though many pet lovers think of veterinary anesthesia as a gas given through a mask over the animal’s face, in fact the modern practice of preparing an animal for surgery is a no-size-fits-all combination of injectable medications (often combining anesthesia and pain-control agents), anesthesia-inducing gas, and pure oxygen, the latter two delivered through a breathing tube to maintain an animal’s unconscious state.
Why Prescreening Tests Are Critical:
Preanesthetic screening is important: a physical examination and blood work can identify underlying problems that need to be addressed. In a young pet, the blood work could be just checking for anemia, basic indicators of organ health and ability to clot. In an older pet, it may mean a complete blood count, clotting ability, thyroid screen, urinalysis, and checking kidney and liver values and making sure all organs are functioning properly. A senior pet is more likely to have problems than a 6-month-old BUT we have identified everything from anemia, bleeding disorders, congenital kidney and liver dysfunction in very young animals. If your pet has preexisting disease such as a heart murmur, lung disease, and enlarged liver etc. we recommend that x-rays are performed prior to anesthesia. I know that clients coming from the coast may prefer everything performed on the same day but this is not always practical or best for your pet. Likely it will require at least 2 visits.
Roles and Responsibilities: Your veterinarian does her part to make anesthesia safer and so should you. Prior to surgery, follow your vet’s directions to the letter: no food after midnight means absolutely no food. It’s a matter of safety. Opt for safety: choose blood work and x-rays if necessary, choose cerenia (safety - less vomiting and therefore, less aspiration).
During surgery, there will be constant anesthetic monitoring by machines and trained technicians, as well as the use of intravenous fluids during anesthesia to allow the veterinarian to react rapidly if need be, support the internal organs and maintain blood pressure. Animals are kept warm, since shivering increases oxygen consumption. The pet's are pre warmed and pre oxygenated this helps reduce complications to anesthesia. We have specialized monitors which keep an eye on blood pressure, temperature, ECG, heart rate, respiration rate, and oxygen saturation.
Preparing your Pet for General Anesthesia
There are several steps that a pet owner may take to help your veterinarian plan for a successful general anesthesia and surgery.
After Anesthesia: What to do at Home
Follow your veterinarian's discharge instructions. If you have small children at home, be careful not to leave your dog alone with the small child even for just a few minutes. Remember, all animals recovering from all general anesthetics may react unpredictably for several days. Keep them warm but not overheated, pet's after anesthesia are not able to regulate their body temperature. Outdoor dogs and cats should be kept indoors. Keep other pets away so they can rest and so they do not break open their sutures. Feed a small meal the first night and then slowly increase the amount they are eating. Communicate any worries post anesthesia with your vet but it may take as long as 24-72 hrs to return to normal behaviors.
The simplest definition of anesthesia is putting an animal into an unconscious state so the pet will be immobile and pain free during a procedure.
Though many pet lovers think of veterinary anesthesia as a gas given through a mask over the animal’s face, in fact the modern practice of preparing an animal for surgery is a no-size-fits-all combination of injectable medications (often combining anesthesia and pain-control agents), anesthesia-inducing gas, and pure oxygen, the latter two delivered through a breathing tube to maintain an animal’s unconscious state.
Why Prescreening Tests Are Critical:
Preanesthetic screening is important: a physical examination and blood work can identify underlying problems that need to be addressed. In a young pet, the blood work could be just checking for anemia, basic indicators of organ health and ability to clot. In an older pet, it may mean a complete blood count, clotting ability, thyroid screen, urinalysis, and checking kidney and liver values and making sure all organs are functioning properly. A senior pet is more likely to have problems than a 6-month-old BUT we have identified everything from anemia, bleeding disorders, congenital kidney and liver dysfunction in very young animals. If your pet has preexisting disease such as a heart murmur, lung disease, and enlarged liver etc. we recommend that x-rays are performed prior to anesthesia. I know that clients coming from the coast may prefer everything performed on the same day but this is not always practical or best for your pet. Likely it will require at least 2 visits.
Roles and Responsibilities: Your veterinarian does her part to make anesthesia safer and so should you. Prior to surgery, follow your vet’s directions to the letter: no food after midnight means absolutely no food. It’s a matter of safety. Opt for safety: choose blood work and x-rays if necessary, choose cerenia (safety - less vomiting and therefore, less aspiration).
During surgery, there will be constant anesthetic monitoring by machines and trained technicians, as well as the use of intravenous fluids during anesthesia to allow the veterinarian to react rapidly if need be, support the internal organs and maintain blood pressure. Animals are kept warm, since shivering increases oxygen consumption. The pet's are pre warmed and pre oxygenated this helps reduce complications to anesthesia. We have specialized monitors which keep an eye on blood pressure, temperature, ECG, heart rate, respiration rate, and oxygen saturation.
Preparing your Pet for General Anesthesia
There are several steps that a pet owner may take to help your veterinarian plan for a successful general anesthesia and surgery.
- Communicate concerns about your pet’s health to your veterinarian prior to scheduling surgery. Any signs of exercise intolerance, weight loss, a recent change in urination or defecation, and mental alertness are particularly informative and may require further diagnostic workup.
- Withhold all food from pets scheduled for elective surgery for at least 12 hours prior to arriving at your veterinarian's clinic. The presence of food in a pet's stomach will greatly increase the likelihood of aspiration of food into the lungs, should your pet vomit during induction of general anesthesia. Usually water is NOT with held but check with your veterinarian in case for your pets procedure this is necessary.
- Balance your desire to keep your pet in show condition with the knowledge that the risk of infections increases greatly if the skin overlying the IV catheter site is not properly disinfected prior to IV catheter placement. Proper disinfection requires clipping of the fur overlying a suitable vein.
After Anesthesia: What to do at Home
Follow your veterinarian's discharge instructions. If you have small children at home, be careful not to leave your dog alone with the small child even for just a few minutes. Remember, all animals recovering from all general anesthetics may react unpredictably for several days. Keep them warm but not overheated, pet's after anesthesia are not able to regulate their body temperature. Outdoor dogs and cats should be kept indoors. Keep other pets away so they can rest and so they do not break open their sutures. Feed a small meal the first night and then slowly increase the amount they are eating. Communicate any worries post anesthesia with your vet but it may take as long as 24-72 hrs to return to normal behaviors.
