Anaesthetic Info

Advice regarding anaesthetic and reducing the risks involved

Preparation for Your Pet's General Anaesthetic

There are a few simple preparations to make when your pet is going to have an anaesthetic or sedation:

  • Adult cats and dogs must NOT be allowed to eat from 8pm the night before admission and can have access to water until 8am on the morning of admission.
  • Young cats and dogs (under 6 months) must have a normal meal between 6-7am on the morning of admission.
  • Please bring your pet to the clinic between 8-9am on the day of admission, unless instructed otherwise. A vet or qualified veterinary nurse will admit your pet.
  • You will be asked to sign a consent form. Ensure that you know what your daytime telephone numbers will be, and that you leave them with us. Legally, the person who signs the consent form must be over 18 years of age.
  • You will be asked at admission whether you wish your pet to have a pre-sedation / general anaesthetic blood test. If you wish to have more information on this blood test before the day, please contact us.
  • You will also be asked at admission whether you wish your pet to have an identichip placed whilst under sedation/general anaesthetic.
  • If you wish us to provide an estimate of the cost of the procedure, we will provide one for you. Remember - this is an estimate, not a quote.
  • If you wish us to perform any other procedure on the day, such as a dental scale and polish, please inform us at admission.

Reducing Anaesthetic Risk

As previously mentioned, general anaesthetics are not without an element of risk. But where a general anaesthetic is necessary, we can minimise the risk to your pet by careful examination beforehand, together with a knowledge of any existing conditions they may have and the results of any pre-anaesthetic blood testing. These allow us to tailor an anaesthetic regime that is most suitable for your pet.

Where abnormalities are known to exist, it is possible to give supportive therapy for the duration of the anaesthetic - for example, intravenous fluids for older pets or pets with known kidney insufficiency - and/or change the anaesthetics used to minimise stress on the abnormal organs. In the event that severe abnormalities are detected prior to the planned administration of an anaesthetic, the risk to the patient versus the benefit of the procedure must be weighed up. In this circumstance, no further action would be taken without lengthy consultation with the pet's owner.

During a general anaesthetic, each animal is carefully monitored and a detailed record is kept of administered anaesthetics and the patient's vital signs. We monitor breathing rate, heart rate and concentration of oxygen in the blood via special monitors.

The information from these monitors allows us to determine the patient's level of anaesthesia, and make appropriate adjustments to the drugs being given where necessary.

If you have any further queries regarding any of the information we have presented here, or you are concerned about your pet having an anaesthetic, please contact the clinic and we can discuss any of these matters with you further.