Sometimes it is unavoidable that a painful procedure be performed on our pets. At such times the vet will decide to use an anesthesia. This article shares information on anesthesia and pet animals.
Veterinary surgeons usually use a general anesthesia which makes your pet unconscious during the procedure. The pet wakes up with no memory of the surgery. Depending upon the type of procedure the vet may opt for a local anesthesia used alone or in combination with a sedative.
If the procedure is non-invasive the vet may go for a deep sedative instead of a full anesthesia.
The main reason that vets use anesthetics is to ensure that the pet does not feel pain and also to ensure compliance so that the procedure can be carried out smoothly. Anesthetics are most commonly used for neutering / spaying, dental treatment, bone surgery, stomach surgery, radiographs, and flushing abscesses.
There is some risk associated with getting an animal to become unconscious. The risk; however, is very low. In fact the risk for a fatality occurring is around 1:200,000 for a healthy pet. It is very important that the vet take into consideration the existing condition of the pet and its age before deciding upon the choice of anesthetics.
Anesthesia developments in the field of human medicine are usually adopted quite fast by vets if they are applicable. Before deciding upon the administration of anesthesia the vet will discuss the risks and requirements related to the procedure. As a pet parent it is important that you understand the inherent risks and also the benefits of going for a given type of anesthetic. The pet may have to undergo some prior testing and you will be required to sign a consent form.
Veterinary surgeons try their best to minimize the risk to your pet with the help of pre-anesthetic blood testing; considering the factors that influence the choice of anesthetic; having an experienced and qualified nurse to do the job; using the necessary equipment such as blood pressure monitors and pulse oximeters; etc.
Pre-anesthetic blood testing is recommended for high-risk animals to assess the ability of their liver and kidney to flush out the anesthetic from the body and also to check if the blood is capable of carrying enough oxygen during the procedure. This is important because blood pressure is reduced during the procedure and it is important that oxygenated blood reaches all the organs. These tests will allow the vet to decide the anesthetic and the protocol for administering.
The best thing to do is to go for preventive tests regularly and it is ideal to have an insurance policy for it. Regular tests will definitely throw up any anomaly if present and this can help you to take corrective action before the issue becomes too serious.
The blood test can be done at the vet’s clinic if they have the necessary blood analysis equipment.
As a general rule, when your pet is checked one final time before the anesthesia procedure can begin. You will be asked to wait outside the surgery room or your contact number will be taken; the vets may require your permission to take out any lump they may find or to brief you if the procedure is found to be unexpectedly complicated.
The vet staff may also carry out additional procedures such as nail trimming. Dogs and cats will be off food for 12 hours and off water from the morning on the day of the surgery.
The pet may be anesthetized via an injection in the cephalic vein, an intramuscular injection, or a gas mask. Pre-medication before anesthesia includes a sedative and pain relief medication. Approximately half an hour after the pain medication is administered, the vet will give the anesthesia to the pet. The next step is to place an endotracheal tube into the windpipe so that the pet can continue to breathe when unconscious. A mixture of oxygen and gas anesthetic is given to the animal via the tube and it ensures that the pet stays sedated.
During the procedure the pet is monitored for heart beat, rate of breathing, color of gum and other parameters to ensure that the pet is stable under anesthesia. Once the surgical procedure is complete, the anesthetic gas is switched off and the animal is given pure oxygen to breathe for some time. After this the plastic tube is removed from the trachea once the animal has regained its swallow reflex. The pet is monitored till it wakes up and regains control of its neck muscles.
Once the pet has regained control of its body, it may choose to go back to sleep for six to eight hours.
