Unfortunately, at times, many pets need surgery to resolve certain health issues or mend broken bones. For any pet owner, thinking about anesthesia safety during their pet’s operation is paramount. Qualified, professional veterinary surgeons take the highest precautions to ensure the best outcomes for pet under anesthesia during an operation.

What are the steps that we take at Huntington Beach Pet Hospital to care for your pet’s health while under anesthesia?

Blood pressure monitoring and anesthesia safety

Anesthesia can affect the heart rate of pets who are undergoing surgery. Constantly monitoring blood pressure can help the surgeon know how your pet is doing. For example, keeping an eye on blood pressure can help to realize if there is any rapid blood loss.

Pulse oximetry

A very important part of caring for your pet’s health during an operation is checking the oxygen saturation of the patient’s blood, or pulse oximetry. An adequate supply of oxygen-rich blood is essential to keep all vital organs working properly during the surgical procedure. This can help the medical staff increase or lower the oxygen supply as needed.

CO2 monitoring

Just as important as monition oxygen levels, it is also necessary to keep a close eye on CO2 levels. Abnormally high levels of CO2 can indicate breathing problems during the operation and can cause deeper levels of anesthesia. A lack of CO2 can indicate that the pet is hyperventilating or that the oxygen flow rates are too high.

Temperature monitoring

Monitoring the patient’s temperature during surgery is also vitally important. This is especially true when operating on smaller animals where there is a larger area to volume ratio. If the animal’s temperature drops too low during the operation, hypothermia can set in and this can increase recovery post-operation times.

At Huntington Beach Pet Hospital, we have many measures in place to ensure your pet is kept at the optimal temperature throughout the operation

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)

The electrocardiogram readings during any kind of operation are necessary to make sure that the heart is working correctly. The EKG helps to monitor heart rate, heart rhythm, and heart coordination as it pumps blood through the cardiovascular system.

Fluid therapy during surgery

Administering fluids in an operation through an intravenous drip helps to provide essential electrolytes, medications, anesthetics, and emergency drugs. In cases where the body temperature drops below normal, warmed fluids through the drip can help raise the temperature.

Anesthesia safety is of top priority to ensure the best possible outcome for your pet.