Black and orange cat in a box with the lid half off

Anesthesia and Pain Management

At WVRC, ensuring the safety and comfort of our patients is essential. General anesthesia is necessary for many procedures, including MRI and CT scans, endoscopy procedures, ophthalmic procedures, and surgery. The overall risk of general anesthesia in our healthy veterinary patients, with appropriate monitoring, is very low (less than 1% in recent studies). However, we realize the thought of having your pet anesthetized can be worrisome.

WVRC offers individualized anesthesia planning for every patient who undergoes sedation or anesthesia at our hospital. Prior to anesthesia, the doctor will perform a complete physical examination and consider your pet’s temperament, age, breed, health, and procedure when creating their plan. These considerations will influence drug choices, support, and monitoring of your pet while they are anesthetized to ensure he or she is safe from beginning to end. A critical component of the anesthetic plan is a customized approach to pain management.

Whenever possible, loco-regional anesthesia techniques, such as nerve blocks and epidurals, are incorporated into each pet’s pain management plan as they have become the standard of care in human medicine. Such techniques hasten the return to normal activity, provide the best pain control after surgery, and allow us to use lower doses of other medications that can affect alertness and appetite.

Our Anesthesiology Team

WVRC’s anesthesia team develops your pet’s individualized anesthesia plan and will be available if any unforeseen complications arise.

Our anesthesia team has extensive experience safely anesthetizing patients with a variety of disease processes, including:

Cardiovascular, pulmonary, liver, and kidney disease,
Endocrine disorders
Neurological issues
Patients requiring anesthesia for emergency procedures.

Each anesthetized patient is assigned to an experienced veterinary technician trained in anesthesia. During the procedure, he or she monitors a wide array of parameters using state-of-the-art monitoring equipment to measure oxygen levels, blood pressure, respiratory patterns, and the heart’s activity. Our hospital prioritizes preparation among our team members to promptly recognize and intervene in the rare event of an anesthetic complication. After the procedure, we will continue to monitor your pet closely to ensure a smooth, pain-free recovery.

Your Pet is in the Best Hands

Please take comfort in knowing your pet will be well cared for if they require general anesthesia. In addition to our knowledgeable staff, we provide the warm, compassionate care that we would desire for our own pets. From the moment your pet enters the hospital until discharge, our team is dedicated to eliminating stress, anxiety, and discomfort during their stay.

We are here to support you. No patient is too old or too complicated for anesthesia. Rarely, they may be too ill; however, in these cases, we can help guide decision-making for these patients.

Our Anesthesia Team

Shannon Larrabee

Waukesha

DVM, MPH, Practice Limited to Anesthesia | Veterinary Anesthesiologist

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