Anesthesia For Your Dog Or Cat - What You Need To Know

     Either for humans or for animals, the thought of being anesthetized brings about a great deal of anxiety. If you are a pet owner, there are points that you need to be aware about before you consent on putting your pet under anesthesia.

Upon consulting the veterinarian, your pet's condition will be thoroughly assessed. When there is a need for a surgical procedure to be done, your pet doctor will further assess your pet. The parameters that are involved in this assessment and that are vital when anesthesia is involved are your pet's weight, temperature, and an assessment of its respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

You can ask of a copy of the laboratory results of your pet. Also, secure written information regarding the procedure and the anesthesia record. This will not only be necessary for a legal case if something goes wrong but it will allow you to have a clear knowledge of what will be done to your pet. If you so decide, you may also ask another doctor of his opinion regarding the status of your pet with the help of these papers.

Also, become aware of what will happen. There will be several procedures that might be done to your cat in order for it to become sedated and anesthetized. As earlier said, your pet will be assessed. After cardio-pulmonary clearance is given, your pet will be prepped for the procedure.

Pre-anesthesia sedation may be required to make your pet relaxed before anesthesia will be introduced or injected to your pet. Inhalant or injectible anesthesia can be used. Usually, inhalant anesthesia offers general anesthesia or whole body anesthesia. Your pet needs to be supported on a breathing tube to ensure that respirations are maintained at a normal rate. Anesthetics that are injected are done so intramuscularly at a large muscle in the body.

Your vet will tell you what will be the expected reaction of your pet while it is put under pre-sedation and when it is already anesthetized. Or, you may ask him yourself. You may also inquire about the length of time that effects of anesthesia will be present.

If everything goes well, you will be able to take your pet home a little time after the procedure. Unless otherwise advised by your veterinarian. But if you are able to take your pet home, there are signs that you need to observe in your pet.

Your pet may look sleepy and weak. This is normal for the first few hours. But generally, this will depend on the amount of anesthesia used. Minor procedures that made use of local anesthetics won't produce these kinds of effects. Also, you need to monitors its respiratory patterns. The number of respirations per minute should be within normal levels. Then, the depth and rhythm should also be normal. If there are a few more signs that you need to be watchful of, your vet will inform you.

When you are notice symptoms that should be a cause for alarm, you need to call your vet for instructions on how you can manage a specific symptom.