Safety is our priority for your pet with every anaesthetic. Comfort and freedom from pain and anxiety are essential. We monitor your pet from admission to discharge and ensure their well-being. We have a nurse with them every step.

Kay, our vet, gives all anaesthetics and together with a vet nurse monitors your pet in the same way you would be monitored in a human hospital. We know the risks and minimise every one. A physical exam is done before the anaesthetic. Blood is collected to check for blood clotting, any diseases and anything that will affect the outcome of the anaesthetic and surgery. A premedication is given before surgery to release anxiety and as part of pain management and balancing blood pressure and anaesthesia.

An ultra-short acting injection is given to induce your pet and then they are maintained on a gas mixture so their breathing, heart and oxygen levels can be continuously monitored. We have state of the art monitoring equipment and an experienced vet nurse on every pet during anaesthesia – they monitor your pets heart, breathing, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen level and their blood and expired CO₂ to ensure a safe procedure. Usually I.V. fluids are given as a precaution during procedures.

Your pet is monitored in recovery until they are awake. Your pet should be almost completely back to normal by the time of discharge, although some will be sleepy or tired for 12 to 24 hours – particularly if on strong pain relief.

If you are worried about your pet having an anaesthetic, please talk to us. There is always a risk with any anaesthetic but the way we do it, the risk of anaesthesia is much lower than the risk of driving from your place to our hospital.