Anaesthesia and Analgesia

The uses for this technique range from a simple local anaesthetic, to numb a small part of the body, to the induction of complete unconsciousness to allow diagnostic or surgical procedures to be performed.

We have a team of Specialist Anaesthetists supported by Residents, Interns, technicians and highly qualified nurses. Our priority is to ensure the maximum level of patient safety and comfort.

Anaesthesia in a pet is very similar to that in people. Depending on the procedure to be undertaken, local, regional or general anaesthetic techniques may be used.

General anaesthesia using modern drugs and techniques, combined with a high degree of expertise, means that risks are minimised as much as possible and adverse situations are rare.

All patients undergo a physical examination to check for conditions that may require particular attention during the procedure, and further investigations are performed if indicated. We administer pre-anaesthetic medication to calm the patient, provide some pain relief and allow placement of a cannula for drug and fluid administration. When the patient is taken to the theatre preparation area, we assess the impact of pre-anaesthetic medication on heart and lung function before giving the anaesthetic drug(s). Throughout the period of anaesthesia, a range of parameters including heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and oxygen levels are monitored closely. Animals recovering from anaesthesia will be cared for by our dedicated team of ward nurses and those undergoing major procedures will be nursed in the dedicated intensive care ward.

We use highly sophisticated anaesthetic machines and monitoring equipment and this, combined with modern anaesthetic techniques implemented by expert staff, is the key to minimising pain and stress for the animals in our care.

Please visit our Additional Information page for more details. Also, please remember that your consultant will be happy to answer any further questions you may have.