General Surgery & Anesthesia
Our veterinarians are all experienced in surgery and have the capabilities of handling elective and emergency surgery. We provide scheduled surgeries Monday through Thursday and emergency surgical services Monday through Saturday.
Anesthesia Safety at Douglassville
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Pre-Anesthesia Blood Work Blood work evaluates the health of the major organs, specifically the liver, kidneys and red blood cell lines which play a major role in the patient's ability to be safely placed under anesthesia. IV Catheter & IV Fluids
Every patient under general anesthesia should ALWAYS have an IV catheter. IV catheters allow for immediate venous access during an emergency and are used to provide IV fluids which help maintain blood pressure and hydration. Blood Pressure Monitoring Anesthesia should never be performed if the patient's blood pressure is not monitored. Low blood pressure can cause organ damage and in severe cases, death. All of our patients under anesthesia have constant blood pressure evaluation. Pulse Oximetry (SP02) Pulse oximetry measures how much oxygen the red blood cells are carrying throughout the body. This information tells us how effectively the patient's lungs are absorbing oxygen and distributing it. (Pulse oximetry sensor are usually placed on either the tongue or the digits of the patient) Temperature monitoring & thermal support Anesthesia lowers metabolic rate and therefore lowers body temperature. Anesthetic hypothermia lowers respiration rate and blood pressure. We monitor patient's temperature and provide a heated surgery table as well as warm water circulating hot water blankets to preserve optimal body temperature. End Tidal Carbon Dioxide Measurement Measuring the carbon dioxide levels during exhalation(breathing out) tells us how effectively your pet is breathing under anesthesia and whether we need to provide ventilation assistance. Depressed breathing from anesthesia can affect oxygen delivery, acid/base balance in the blood and can permanently damage the brain, kidney, and other major organs. Electrocardiogram (EKG)
An EKG monitors the electrical activity of the heart. We use this to monitor heart rate and the health of each heartbeat. EKG readings can identify abnormal electrical beats (arrhythmias) which can require immediate medical intervention. Intubation with 100% Oxygen
The air we breath contains 21% oxygen; the rest is mainly nitrogen. 21% is fine when you're awake, but anesthesia suppresses your breathing control. For this reason, we protect the body by providing 100% oxygen. Furthermore, we intubate our anesthetized patients with an endotracheal tube, which is a tube that goes down to the lungs, protects the airway, and enables us to assist your pet's breathing as needed. 1 on 1 Nursing Care During Anesthesia and Recovery A veterinary technician is completely dedicated to your pet while under anesthesia and during anesthetic recovery. |
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