Anesthesia

We understand your concerns with your beloved pet undergoing anesthesia, whether it is for a routine procedure such as a spay or neuter, or a complicated life-saving surgery. We have taken every step possible to ensure that every anesthesia at our hospital is an uneventful one, resulting in a smooth, uneventful recovery. We undergo hours of training every year dedicated to the advancement and education in anesthesia, specific to the field of dogs and cats.

From the moment sedation is given, to the moment they are standing consciously in their recovery kennel, one of our registered veterinary technicians is with your pet at all times, closely monitoring their vital signs. A trained technician dedicated to managing your pets’ anesthesia is one of the most important factors contributing to anesthetic safety. In addition to their constant hands on monitoring, your pet is hooked up to industry leading anesthetic monitors at all times while under anesthesia. These monitors are measuring important vital life signs, allowing the veterinarian and technician to detect any abnormalities quickly and effectively. Over ten parameters are measured at every given second, including:

Heart Rate: changes in the heart rate can occur with changes in depth of anesthesia, low blood pressure, anesthetic reactions, surgical bleeding, and much more.

Capnography (CO2 Monitoring): this is one of the most essential parameters we monitor under anesthesia – it tells us if the patient is breathing adequately, ensuring adequate delivery of oxygen to the vital organs. Further, it is the most accurate tool we have available to us for assessing heart function under anesthesia.

Blood Pressure Monitoring: anesthesia requires careful monitoring of blood pressure at all times, as lowered blood pressure is an inevitable side-effect of anesthesia. Low blood pressure can cause permanent damage to important organs such as the kidneys, which are particularly sensitive to low blood pressure. It is therefore crucial that low blood pressure is corrected immediately, through the infusion of intravenous fluids and blood pressure supporting medication.

SPO2: this is a measurement of the amount of oxygen dissolved in the blood, carried by red blood cells. Many things can affect SPO2 levels, including lung disease, obstructed airway tubes, excessive intravenous fluids, and more. This is another important tool in ensuring the vital organs receive the oxygen that is needed to live.

ECG (electrocardiogram): whether on TV or in advertisements, most people have seen these familiar waves – these give important information on heart function, and can detect potentially fatal arrhythmias in real time, allowing accurate and rapid treatment.

Temperature: lowered core temperature is an inevitable effect of anesthesia – we have therefore implemented safe supplemental heat sources such as our Bair Hugger, which uses forced warm air to surround and maintain body temperatures of our patients. Low core temperatures lead to prolonged recovery and metabolism of anesthetic drugs, and increased risk of postoperative infection.