At Oyster River Veterinary Hospital, we understand that you may feel anxious when your pet needs a procedure requiring anesthesia. The safety of your pet is our primary concern and we approach anesthesia with great care.
Pre-surgical blood testing is done to evaluate your pet’s overall health, and any medical issues are addressed prior to surgery. For some animals, chest radiographs (xrays) or other testing will be recommended as well so we can plan for any concerns that may be unique to your pet. Based on these tests and a pre-surgical physical exam, we carefully choose the anesthesia drugs that we use for each patient. Our veterinarians use many of the same drugs used in human medicine and know that anesthesia is safer than in years past.
All pets receive an IV catheter and are on IV fluids during an anesthetic procedure. This helps to maintain blood pressure and protect the kidneys. Pets are closely monitored for heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, blood pressure and blood oxygen levels so that we can respond quickly to any concerns.
In addition to safety, we are also concerned about your pet’s comfort. Pain management is included in the planning of every procedure. Pain medications are included in the anesthetic protocol and oral medications will be sent home as needed.
Surgeries that we do here at ORVH include:
- Spays and neuters
- Gastroplexy
- Cystotomy
- Vulvoplasty
- Tumor removal, biopsy
- Oral surgery (see dentistry)
- And more, please call for details.
If needed, we will refer advanced procedures and orthopedic surgeries to a board-certified surgical specialist so your pet gets the best possible care.
