Anesthesia

Modern anesthetic monitors make surgery much safer than it used to be. At Engelberg Kristy Animal Hospital, your pet will be examined thoroughly before any anesthetics are administered, to ensure that a fever or other illness won't cause a problem. The amount and type of anesthetic used will depend on the health of your pet. If you have any questions, our health care team is here to answer them for you!

Even seemingly healthy pets can have organ system problems that can only be detected through blood testing. Pre-anesthetic blood testing to make sure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthesia is an important step to reduce the risk of anesthesia complications. The results of your pet's blood testing will help us determine if extra precautions are needed for minor issues, or if the surgery should be postponed until the problem is corrected.

For geriatric or ill pets, additional blood tests, electrocardiograms, or x-rays may be required before surgery as well. Your veterinarian will discuss any issues that arise with you and explain the necessary procedures.

It's also important that your pet's stomach is empty when they undergo surgery to reduce the risk of vomiting during and after anesthesia. You must withhold food for at least 8 to 10 hours before surgery, but your pet can have water until the morning of surgery.

We utilize the safest available anesthetics to provide an extra margin of safety, especially for our older or high-risk patients. Using the most modern equipment, the patient's vital signs are monitored during all anesthetic procedures.