Anesthesia in pets is an induced and controlled state of unconsciousness, during which pets cannot feel pain or form memories. Modern pet anesthesia uses the same inhaled gas as human medicine, which makes complex, lengthy, and life-saving procedures possible. The Bartow Animal Clinic team understands that most pet owners feel anxious about their four-legged friend undergoing anesthetic procedures, and we want to reassure you that we take every precaution to ensure your furry pal’s safety. Here is an overview of how our team minimizes anesthetic risk in pets.

What are the anesthesia risks in pets?

Drugs used during anesthesia are intended to blunt normal body processes, which means organs can function differently and result in several complications. The risk of a healthy pet dying under safe anesthesia procedures is less than 0.1% and rises only slightly for sick pets. We can anticipate and pre-emptively counteract or address most anesthetic effects with interventions during the procedure. Possible problems include:

  • Slow or abnormal heart rate
  • Low blood pressure
  • Blunted respiratory capacity
  • Low body temperature
  • Adverse drug reactions

Some pets will have a rough or slow recovery, or difficulty clearing the drugs from their body. Less common anesthetic events can occur after the procedure, including kidney problems, aspiration pneumonia, or tracheal tears, but such events are rare when appropriate safety procedures are followed.

Pet anesthesia safety: Before the procedure

Outside immediate emergencies, our veterinary team screens every pet undergoing anesthesia with tests that provide a complete health evaluation. Blood and urine tests help us evaluate kidney and liver function, and X-rays, EKGs, or ultrasounds provide information about heart function. Not all pets require all preoperative tests, which we base on your pet’s age and known health conditions. In most cases, problems found on pre-operative tests do not preclude anesthesia. Instead, we adjust your furry pal’s protocol to ensure we do not worsen the existing issue or have problems during the procedure.

Pet anesthesia safety: During the procedure

Pets undergoing anesthesia are closely monitored by a veterinarian and technician team before, during, and after the procedure. Some of our safety precautions and preventive interventions that ensure a smooth process include:

  • Pre-medications — Administering a combination of sedatives before placing an IV catheter ensures your pet feels calm before their procedure and reduces the amount of anesthesia they need to stay asleep. Using multiple drugs rather than only one or two allows us to reduce doses and side effects.
  • IV catheter — Your pet’s technician places an IV catheter, which allows direct access to a vein for fluids and medications. If an emergency arises during anesthesia, we can quickly administer corrective drugs.
  • IV induction and intubation — We administer a short-acting anesthetic via the IV catheter to induce unconsciousness. Then, we place a plastic tube in the trachea that we tie in place to protect the airway from stomach or mouth secretions and to allow oxygen and gas anesthesia administration.
  • Vitals monitoring — We closely monitor heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, expired carbon dioxide level, respiratory rate, and temperature to gather information about your pet’s body’s response to the anesthesia and to make adjustments as needed.
  • Anesthetic depth adjustments — Anesthetic depth refers to how deeply your pet is “asleep.” We assess this using vitals measurements, checking eye position and muscle tone, and checking for reflexes. If your pet is too deeply asleep, we turn down the percentage of gas anesthesia, or vice-versa. Sophisticated gas anesthetic vaporizers make tiny adjustments possible.
  • IV fluids — Administering IV fluids during anesthesia supports normal blood pressure and tissue oxygenation.
  • Temperature support — Most pets quickly lose body heat under anesthesia, so we provide pre-emptive heating support with circulating warm water or warm air. The smaller and thinner the pet, the more aggressively we will maintain warmth.

Pet anesthesia safety: After the procedure

Your pet’s dedicated team members help ensure a safe, smooth recovery. Some pets wake up slowly and calmly, while others panic or become upset as the anesthesia wears off. If your pet becomes anxious, we can administer micro-doses of sedatives and sit with them until they feel more normal and calm. You’ll often find our anesthesia technicians inside cages, comforting and cuddling their patients. We continue to monitor your pet’s vitals until they are completely back to normal and will typically keep your pet for observation and continued care for the remainder of the day.

Anesthesia is necessary to ensure pets receive the veterinary care they need to maintain optimal health. Although risks are low, the Bartow Animal Clinic team is trained and experienced in anesthetic safety procedures and can handle complications as they arise. Contact us to learn more about our anesthesia and surgery services, or to schedule a consultation with our surgical team.