General anesthesia in pets has advanced significantly in the last thirty years. Gas or inhalation anesthesia is the most common type of anesthesia used to keep your pet asleep for surgical procedures. The anesthetic agents currently used are safe for the vast majority of animals, including geriatrics. Varying agents and protocols are used depending on the animals health status and preanesthetic blood results. We have a technician monitor the anesthetic for the veterinary surgeon so there are two people responsible for your pets safety throughout its procedure. Please ask us any questions you may have regarding your pets anesthetic. We are very aware of the concerns of owners regarding anesthesia and do everything in our power to prevent a problem with anesthetic or recovery. In some cases we may recommend delaying surgery in order to put the pet on a reducing diet, or tell you that the pet should have special tests such as clotting studies before a surgery. Also please note that we recommend IV fluids for prolonged procedures or for older pets so that their blood pressure and the blood supply to their heart and kidneys are well supported throughout.
