Almost every dog or cat will have to be
anesthetized at least once in their lifetime, with the majority of pets
receiving anesthesia several times. The reasons for this can vary from a spay
or neuter in a young, healthy animal to a dental procedure in an active, middle
aged pet to a cancerous mass removal in an older, perhaps somewhat health
impaired patient. However, the one thing all of these scenarios have in common
is our dedication to providing a safe and effective anesthesia experience.
At
Pearl Animal Hospital we take anesthesia very seriously, and we have a
pre-operative protocol to ensure your pet’s safety. This includes the
requirement of a recent examination and pre-anesthetic lab. This is extremely
important because a physiological abnormality can be diagnosed during this
process that may have otherwise gone undetected. These abnormalities can
include findings such as a heart murmur, anemia, or elevated liver or kidney
values, just to name a few. Oftentimes, this does not mean your pet should not
undergo his or her procedure, but rather more in depth diagnostics should be
performed. In any case, it is imperative to have that knowledge, which allows
us to create a more individualized and appropriate anesthesia protocol for our
patient.
