Understanding Pet Anesthesia
If your pet is undergoing a surgical procedure or teeth cleaning, it will likely need anesthesia. While the thought of anesthesia may cause some pet owners anxiety, the veterinary team at All Care Animal Clinic in West Palm Beach, FL, is here to ease worries about anesthesia use in pets. We are here to tell you about anesthesia to help you understand the importance of this drug in surgical procedures.
The Different Types of Anesthesia for Pets
Anesthetics control how conscious your pet is or how much it feels during pet surgery or other procedures. The two primary types of anesthesia are:
- General: This makes your pet unconscious during more invasive procedures
- Local: This numbs a specific area for minimally invasive procedures, like removing a tiny growth
While you may have worries about general anesthesia since it makes your pet unconscious, our veterinarian will ensure your pet remains safe throughout its procedure. Your pet may experience some grogginess after the anesthesia wears off. Local anesthesia usually does not cause this effect since it only numbs a specific area.
Why Your Vet Uses Anesthesia
We use anesthesia primarily to prevent pain during your pet’s surgery or procedure. Since many surgical operations involve incisions in your pet’s body, anesthesia allows our vet to conduct the surgery without worrying about causing your pet pain. Anesthesia also helps your pet’s muscles relax, allowing our vet to perform the surgery more effortlessly.
Other benefits of anesthesia include stopping pets from moving during surgery. Doing this helps keep our staff and your pet safe. Anesthetics keep your pet still, allowing our vet to handle surgery with a lower risk of complications.
How Do You Keep My Pet Safe?
We conduct a thorough exam beforehand to ensure your pet can handle anesthesia without complications. While your pet is unconscious, we monitor its blood oxygen levels and other vital signs. We also monitor your pet as it recovers from anesthetics after surgery.
Does Anesthesia Carry Any Risks?
While anesthesia is very safe, your pet can experience side effects and risks based on several factors. We consider the following factors when determining how safe anesthetics are for your pet:
- Your pet’s age
- Any pre-existing conditions your pet has
- Your pet’s breed
- Your pet’s size
We will discuss the risks of anesthesia use when you bring your pet in for an exam. Our veterinary team will answer your questions and concerns about anesthesia and provide alternative treatment options if we deem anesthesia unsafe for your pet.
Contact Our Veterinarian in West Palm Beach, FL, to Learn More About Anesthesia
If your pet needs surgery and you have questions about anesthesia during the procedure, consider contacting the veterinary team at All Care Animal Clinic in West Palm Beach, FL. We can answer your questions and address concerns about your pet’s surgery to help you and your pet feel more comfortable with the procedure. Call us at (561) 688-1154 for more information about anesthesia and pet surgery.