Anesthesia is naturally an important concern for you as the pet owner, but will likely be necessary at some point in your pet’s life. At Riverstone Animal Hospital, your pet’s safety and speedy recovery are our biggest concern. All procedures requiring anesthesia are carefully monitored by the doctor and an experienced technician using sophisticated equipment from the start of the procedure until your pet is stable and able to stand up.
We perform pre-anesthetic blood screening to make sure that your pet can safely undergo the anesthesia with minimal risk. We also evaluate your pet’s heart function prior to anesthesia via an electrocardiogram. Our anesthesia protocols are individualized according to your pet’s age and health status and include some of the safest injectable and inhalant anesthetic agents available. Gas (inhalant) anesthesia is considered one of the safest methods of anesthesia. The effects on the body are minimal and depth of sleep is very adjustable, unlike most injectable agents. Recovery is very speedy and there is little after-effect once your pet goes home.
All pets receive warmed intravenous electrolyte fluids during anesthesia to help maintain their body temperature. Heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, and body temperature are continually monitored and adjusted. Your pet rests on a circulating warm water heating pad or a heated air cushion to prevent chilling under anesthesia. A detailed report of your pet’s procedure will be given to you when he or she goes home.
