Keeping Your Pet Safe During General Anesthesia

General anesthesia is scary for many people, and it is understandable why one hesitates to rush their pet into anesthesia. I understand your reluctance and hesitation, but I want to explain the steps we take at Northeast Veterinary Hospital to provide a safe anesthetic episode.

Your pet has been thoroughly examined before determining a procedure that requires general anesthesia is in fact necessary. During that exam, we decide upon the pre-anesthetic testing that is needed to keep your pet safe. This testing is not the same for every pet. A specific plan is formulated for your individual pet taking into account age, health status, medical history, and length and type of procedure to be performed.

With this information, we make many decisions about the general anesthetic plan. In fact, we may cancel the procedure or postpone it until certain problems are addressed. All decisions will be made based on what is best for your pet.

Anesthetic regimes are checked and double checked by more than one person. Another examination of your pet is completed before anesthesia is induced. Emergency drugs are calculated and close at hand, but hopefully not needed.

A well-trained technician is assigned to your pet. This person works under the guidance of the surgeon in charge, and this person does not leave your pet. If there is a reason, this technician must leave your pet, another technician signs on and takes charge. An extensive flow chart of your pet's vital signs and anesthetic depth are maintained throughout anesthesia. NEVH employs state of the art monitoring equipment, but equipment does not replace that technician dedicated to the safety of your pet.

After the procedure is completed, your pet is closely monitored during recovery. Never are they left alone or placed into a cage. This supervision and attention to detail is necessary to provide safe anesthesia. We love our work and keeping your pet safe is part of that work.