Keeping your pet safe under anaesthesia

Anaesthesia

The risk of a general anaesthetic is very low, but to minimise the risk even further we routinely recommend pre-anaesthetic blood testing. Although these measures cannot guarantee the absence of complications, they do reduce your pet’s risk during and after anaesthesia.

Pre-anaesthetic Blood Testing

This can help diagnose diseases that may not be detected with physical examination alone. This test is done before any sedation is given. In dogs and cats we perform a pre-anaesthetic biochemistry panel. This test can detect early kidney failure, liver disease and diabetes. If the blood test is normal we will proceed with the anaesthetic as planned. However, if an abnormality is detected we will contact you to discuss our concerns and treatment options.

Intra-operative Intravenous Fluids

Fluid therapy is routinely used in every procedure where a general anaesthetic is required. This assists in maintaining your pet’s blood pressure during the surgery and help improve recovery from the general anaesthetic. Intravenous fluids also reduces the risk of surgical and post-op complications, especially in senior animals.