Pets With Anxiety
Thunder, fireworks, and travel can be unsettling to many of our furry friends. If that’s the case with your pet, there are lots of options here at McKnight to help control your pet’s anxiety. Homeopathic sprays, anti-anxiety medication, and mild sedatives may be an appropriate option. Feel free to contact us to discuss any of these options with us.
Local Anesthesia
For minor surgical or diagnostic procedures, we may choose to use a local anesthetic to reduce pain. For instance, we may use a local anesthetic while performing a biopsy. A local anesthetic causes your pet to lose sensation in the area where the procedure is being performed. Oftentimes, we will also use a sedative and/or other systemic analgesic medication in combination with local anesthesia to help keep your pet comfortable during a procedure. Give us a call if you have questions or concerns regarding local anesthesia.
General Anesthesia
During certain procedures, it is required to administer a general anesthetic to render your pet unconscious so he or she will not feel any pain. While we understand the hesitation that many pet owners feel towards having their pet anesthetized, we can assure you that modern anesthesia is generally safe as we take all the precautions to minimize risk. We always perform a physical examination and blood work ahead of the procedure to identify any underlying health risks that may pose a problem. Furthermore, we have a detailed anesthetic protocol that includes monitoring vital signs during the procedure to ensure your pet’s safety.
For procedures requiring general anesthetic, we begin by administering a sedative to help relax your pet and minimize any anxiety or pain. We follow that by administering an intravenous drug that provides complete anesthesia. We then place a breathing tube into the patient’s windpipe. To maintain your pet’s unconscious state, we administer a combination of oxygen and a gaseous anesthetic through the breathing tube. If you have any questions or concerns about your pet receiving general anesthesia, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 403-457-0911.
Patient Monitoring
For procedures requiring general anesthesia, we continuously monitor our patients to ensure their safety. Our highly trained veterinary technicians monitor a pet’s blood pressure, heart and respiratory rate, and all other vital signs to minimize anesthetic risk.