Concerns about pet anesthesia are one reason why pet owners put off having surgery or other medical procedures, such as dental cleaning. However, if the proper precautions are taken by your veterinarian, anesthesia is safe. Learn more about the safety of anesthesia for pets from Clinton Hill Animal Clinic in Brooklyn, NY.
Times Have Changed
Decades ago, when anesthesia was new, dosages for pets were not well known. Thankfully, those days are over. Anesthetic drugs are now often administered with both gas and injection, which is safer than just using gas. Intravenous medications also help your pet fall asleep with less stress than having a mask put on. Pets are checked more frequently after their procedures since the risk of death from anesthesia is highest in the first few hours after surgery.
Use of Painkillers
Feeling pain means a pet finds it hard to fall asleep and remain asleep. A veterinarian gives painkillers before, and while under, anesthesia. This helps reduce the pet’s pain when they wake up and also means less anesthesia needs to be used since pain signals to the brain are turned off.
The Pre-Anesthetic Assessment
Another reason why fatalities from anesthesia are low in pets is because the vet performs an assessment before surgery to determine if the animal seems healthy enough for anesthesia. For example, pets that are obese are bad candidates for anesthesia. Very old pets with chronic health problems and newborn pets are also bad candidates. Only some kinds of anesthesia are safe for sighthound breeds, including whippets and greyhounds.
Keeping Pets Warm
It’s now known that a pet’s body temperature goes down when it’s under anesthesia. Certain dog breeds are notorious for this. Vets know these dogs need to be kept warm during and after surgery in order to avoid the body getting dangerously cold. Keeping pets warm also helps painkillers do their jobs more effectively.
Still Have Questions? Call Us Today
If you have questions about the safety of anesthesia for your pet and live in the Brooklyn, NY, area, contact Clinton Hill Animal Clinic today at (718) 623-3999. We’re happy to answer your questions and set up an appointment for your pet’s surgery or other needs.
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