The health of your pet is my top priority, which is why I recommend a pre-anaesthetic blood profile. This can help detect abnormalities which could indicate that the anaesthesia or surgery may be unsafe, warranting further investigation beforehand. On the day of surgery, I place an intravenous catheter to all species large enough to accommodate and administer intravenous fluids to help maintain adequate hydration and blood pressure (which is very important to keep all the internal organs healthy). The intravenous catheter also serves as a route to administer medications such as antibiotics or pain control, as well as medications needed in the event of an emergency. An experienced veterinary technician will monitor your pet at all times to detect any potential problems that may arise; the sooner a problem is addressed, the more likely it will be resolved safely. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about my surgical services.
Local anaesthesia is used commonly in awake or sedated patients for small surgical or diagnostic procedures, such as biopsies (taking a small sample of tissue for analysis). It involves injecting a small amount of local anaesthetic drug under the skin to “freeze” the area that may be a source of pain with the procedure. In anesthetised patients, it can be used to during more painful procedures such as the extraction of a tooth, and this helps with pain control during the procedure and upon recovery. Local anaesthetics are short in duration (they last approximately four to six hours), and are generally used in conjunction with other methods of pain control.