Colorado Animal Specialty & Emergency (CASE)

A veterinary anesthesiologist is a veterinarian that, in addition to a bachelor's degree and doctorate of veterinary medicine, completes a year in practice followed by a three-year residency in anesthesia and pain management. Once they pass a board certification examination, they are granted the title of Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (DACVAA). These are doctors that have special training in all aspects of anesthesia - including management of concurrent medical problems, sedation and anesthetic medications, complication management, pain management, fluid and transfusion therapy, and CPR.

Anesthesia involves the use of medications to depress the neurological and cardiovascular systems in a controlled, reversible way in order to produce unconsciousness. There is a risk for every patient that is anesthetized (just like for humans), regardless of health status. Healthy dogs and cats have an estimated anesthetic risk of mortality of 0.05-0.2%, which increases slightly with sick patients. Almost every patient tolerates anesthesia well, and most of the risk of complications comes from the procedure performed or your pet’s other health concerns.

In signing the consent form, you acknowledge that there is some risk to performing general anesthesia to your pet, even if they are healthy. The consent form ensures that you have been informed about the risks and approve of the use of general anesthesia on your pet.

It is important to remember that there will always be some risk associated with anesthesia, but there are things you can do to help prevent complications, such as:

• Keeping up with regular veterinary care.

• Helping your pet maintain a healthy weight.

• Postponing elective procedures if your dog/cat is not feeling well.

• Pursuing diagnostics, if recommended, prior to anesthesia.

• Abiding by the fasting guidelines recommended for your pet’s procedure.

• Discussing the medications your pet is on with your veterinarian prior to procedure day to determine which medications they should receive the morning of the procedure.

• Sedation is achieved by administering a combination of drugs that will relax your pet and allow them to tolerate non-painful procedures (like radiographs, ultrasound scans, blood draws, etc.). Sedated patients are typically still aware of their surroundings and responsive when interacted with.

• During general anesthesia, your pet will be given medications that render them unconscious. Similar to if you were anesthetized, your pet will not be responsive or aware of anything occurring while under anesthesia. While they are unconscious, their protective reflexes (like swallowing) are blunted. A tube will be placed in your pet’s trachea (windpipe), in order to protect them from aspiration and to provide ventilatory support if they are not breathing well. In some patients, the tube may irritate their airway and a cough 1-2 days following an anesthetic episode is not a cause for concern.

• Some may think that sedation is safer than general anesthesia, but this is not true for every pet. Many sedatives come with side effects that might not be appropriate for your pet’s specific health concerns. If general anesthesia is recommended, it is because the benefits of securing an airway, the ability to provide better monitoring, and the more predictable nature of administration outweigh the risks of unconsciousness. Your care team will determine the best approach for your pet’s health.

• Your pet will be dropped off the morning of their procedure, even if they are not scheduled to go until the afternoon. An updated weight will be obtained on procedure day to ensure accurate drug calculations.

• The anesthesia team will carefully review your pet’s medical history and may perform additional diagnostics in preparation for their procedure. Based on this review, an individualized anesthetic plan will be created that prioritizes your pet’s needs.

• A sedative will be administered to help decrease stress prior to anesthesia and to improve the induction process.

• A small area of fur will be clipped circumferentially around a leg and an intravenous catheter will be inserted in order to induce with anesthetic medication, provide fluid therapy and allow for rapid administration of emergency medications if necessary.

• Once your pet is asleep, a tube will be inserted into their trachea (windpipe) to deliver oxygen, anesthetic gas, and to provide ventilatory support if needed.

• Your pet will be monitored throughout the pre-induction, maintenance, and recovery period with monitors capable of measuring heart rate and rhythm, temperature, respiratory rate, oxygenation, ventilation, and blood pressure.

• Your pet will be closely monitored during recovery.

• The tube in their trachea will be removed when they are breathing well on their own and capable of swallowing to protect their airway.

• Heat support and other interventions, if necessary, will be supplied throughout recovery.

• Once it is deemed safe for them to continue recovery on their own, they will be placed in a quiet space and evaluated at regular intervals to ensure that additional medications are provided as needed.

• We can assure you that every effort is made to return your pet back home as soon as it is safe for them. Many cases are able to go home the same day as their procedure. In some instances, it may be recommended that your pet continues to recover in hospital over the next day or two in order for us to provide injectable pain medications to keep them comfortable and to hasten their overall recovery.

• Grogginess and Disorientation: It is common for pets to be groggy when they return home from an anesthetic procedure, especially if they are sent home the same day. They also may have had a disruption in their normal sleeping habits while in hospital. These should resolve within the first 24-48 hours after returning home.

• Appetite Disruption: It may take 12-24 hours for your pet to be interested in a full meal when they return home. This can be from the medications they received or the stress of having a procedure or being in hospital. Anorexia beyond 24 hours may be cause for concern and should be related to your pet’s care team.

• Decreased Defecation: It is normal for your pet to not have a bowel movement for 1-2 days following an anesthetic procedure.