Anesthesia

When their pet is facing surgery, many pet owners are more concerned about the anesthesia than the surgery itself. We understand. Rest assured that at St. Paul Pet, our highly trained staff adheres to highest standards of care. Not only that, but our modern anesthesia system allows us to monitor all of your pet’s vital functions during surgery, which means the most accurate and safest possible administration of anesthesia.

What Safety Measures Do We Take?

Before Surgery
We carefully examine heart and lung function, blood circulation, and the general condition of your pet. Then we determine the following, as the answers influence the proper choice and administration of the anesthesia:

• Can we safely perform the surgery with no or light anesthesia?
• Is this breed sensitive to any anesthetic drugs?
• Is this animal young, adult, or senior?
• Are there any other special considerations?
• How painful is this surgery?
• Is this surgery a long or a short procedure?

During Surgery
We continuously monitor heart and lung function.

After Surgery
We carefully supervise and control recovery. We monitor the following:

• Breathing
• Bleeding
• Temperature
• Comfort levels
• Need for pain medication

And one final safety measure:
We do not allow pets to return home while still under the effects of anesthesia.

Additional Considerations

• The liver and kidneys are important organs for the elimination of anesthetic, especially for animals over 8 years old. For this reason, we may recommend blood tests before and after your pet’s surgery: before surgery to determine baseline liver and kidney function before giving anesthesia, and after surgery to best prepare for the your pet’s recovery and more accurately inform you about your pet’s condition.
• We may also give an IV Infusion to older animals to support their circulation.