Types of Anesthesia
We use a combination of pre-anesthetic medications with injectable and/or inhalant anesthetics to achieve optimum Balanced Anesthesia for your pet. As part of a balanced anesthetic approach we have a focus on providing the best pain management we can provide, before, during, and after the procedure. With these combinations of drugs we can use lower doses of each drug. This helps reduce the risk of anesthetic complications.
For most procedures {petsName} will receive oral or injectable NSAID pain medication shortly after they check-in. This helps ensure the medication is on board and working when it's time for surgery. If your pet is taking a daily NSAID, or other pain medications, and you gave the morning dose, please let us know.
For short or common procedures or for budget cases, a combination of medications are used to provide Total Injectable Anesthetic. This type of anesthesia produces a good plane of surgical anesthesia with a quick recovery. Oxygen will be supplemented if needed by an anesthetic mask.
For longer procedures, your pet is provided a combination of pre-medicatons and then intubated (insertion of a tube into the trachea or windpipe). This will ensure that your pet is able to receive oxygen at all times and reduce the risk of aspiration of any fluids into the lungs. Inhalent anesthesia is then used to maintian your pet's anesthesia until the procedure is completed.
For some pets that are intubated they may experence a cough after the procedure. Often this cough starts with a few days after the procedure. Intubation can cause damage to small hairs in the trachea (cilia), and some inflammation of the tracheal lining. This impedes the function of the Mucociliary Escalator mechanism of the trachea. These hairs move mucus and debris, normal to the lungs, up and out. The cough typically improves within a few days and is of no major concern. This is often mistaken as "Kennel Cough" and blamed for the fact they were in a hospital. This is seldom the true cause of the cough for pets that where recently intubated for surgery. If the cough does not improve or resolve within 48-72 hours, becomes productive, or your pet seems bothered by it, please inform us so that we can arrange a recheck exam.
Patient Monitoring
Monitoring of patients during anesthesia is done in several ways.
First, physical observation by our tained surgical team of {petsName}'s heart rate, respiratory rates, level of anesthesia, and temperature. Our doctors and assistants are with your pet continuously from beginning of anesthesia to recovery.
Second, we have numerous types of electronic monitors that track heart rate, pulse rate, oxygen levels, respiration, ECG, and temperature. Electronic monitoring is a great tool, but it does not replace physical observation of your pet.
Post Surgical Pain Management
Our clinic strongly believes in compassionate, quality, medical care, for our patients. To live up to that mission, all surgery patients will receive pain management before, during, and after surgery. Additionally, pain medication will be prescribed to be given at home. With good pain management your pet will recover and heal faster from surgery. Be sure to give all NSAID drugs provided until they are gone, even if your pet does not seem painful. The anti-inflammatory will reduce swelling at the surgical sites and improve healing.
Intravenous Catheterization & Fluids
We highly recommend the placement of an IV catheter and use of IV fluids during longer anesthetic procedures. This allows us to have quick, available access to the circulatory system (blood) in case of an unforeseen emergency. The fluids help provide support to the circulatory system and prevent dehydration, as well as aid in a quicker recovery from anesthesia. Our doctors will include catheters and/or fluid for appropriate surgical plans. For some short procedures an intravenous catheter may not be required. You will have the option to include them if you wish.
Anesthetic Risk
It is important for you to understand that there is always a risk of anesthetic and surgical complications anytime these procedures are performed. We strive to provide the highest quality care of your pet and take all precautions, you allow, to avoid potential problems. In general, the risks are far outweighed by the benefits of the procedures we agree to perform.