We make every effort to keep your animal safe during anesthesia. We have a technician present during surgery to monitor vital signs as well as equipment that monitors heart rate and blood oxygenation. We use gas anesthesia which is considered very safe. We also evaluate the health status, age, and body size of the pet as we individualize our anesthesia plan.

We recommend pre-anesthesia blood testing to look for health problems that may not be detected on physical examination. For older animals undergoing surgery or dental procedures we often suggest full life stage blood work that is also useful as a baseline if future illnesses arise.

We also recommend IV catheterization and intra-operative fluids to help maintain blood pressure and provide ready access for drug administration. These options can be further discussed with the doctor or technician when you pet is being checked in for surgery.

Although there are inherent risks involved in anesthesia and surgery, keep in mind that we do everything we can to minimize the risks, and in most cases the risks of not doing a medically necessary procedure outweigh the risks of the procedure itself.