Your pet’s comfort and safety are paramount at Glenmoore Veterinary Hospital. Our surgical facilities are designed to give each of our patients the utmost in care and pain management during whatever procedure they require.
For many common procedures, your pet will need to be administered general anesthesia. Many pet owners worry about general anesthesia, and although all risks of anesthesia cannot be eliminated, to lower any risk we perform a physical examination and can perform blood tests ahead of time to identify any underlying health issues. We can then tailor our anesthetic plan to each individual patient. In addition, a technician is constantly monitoring vital signs during the procedure to ensure the safety of our patients.
Continuous Monitoring of Vital Signs:
Electrocardiogram (EKG): This device measures the electrical conduction through the heart, which tells our technicians about the rate, rhythm and changes in heart function
Oxygen Saturation of the Blood (SpO2): This is a basic measurement of how well the lungs are transferring oxygen to the blood; a vital measurement during anesthesia.
Blood Pressure: This is measured indirectly using a cuff around an animal’s forelimb or hind limb. Blood pressure is the best indicator of blood flow (perfusion) to the vital internal organs.
Body Temperature: We monitor this vital signs throughout your pet’s procedure since anesthesia will often lower body temperature. (If your pet’s temperature becomes low, then they are actively warmed through various heat support techniques).
Breathing Rate, anesthetic depth, pulse quality, capillary refill times: These are all observed by both doctors and technicians to monitor your pet’s response to and safety under anesthesia.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about your pet receiving general anesthesia or about the procedure for which your pet is scheduled. Ours doctors will be more than happy to discuss your pets’ situation.
Check out our What to Expect Information for more details.