The following information explains the Palmerston Veterinary Group policy with regard to general anaesthetics. When you go into the hospital you naturally expect the best and we believe that your pet deserves a similar approach.
The Palmerston
Veterinary Group routinely weighs and carries out a full clinical examination prior to
anaesthesia. It may be appropriate to carry out other tests such as a blood screen - which
can be performed in the hospital prior to anaesthesia.
The Palmerston Veterinary Group uses the newer anaesthetic agent Propofol and Isoflurane routinely.
These drugs are now used extensively for human anaesthetic. Animals anaesthetized with these agents go to sleep in a smooth and well-controlled manner and wake up more rapidly with very little 'hangover'. Furthermore they have less effect on a number of vital organs including the liver, kidneys and heart, and are therefore considerably safer.
They are especially suitable for 'day case surgery' - where patients operated upon can go home on the same day. These agents allow us to return your pet in a brighter and more alert condition, even following anaesthetic just a short time before. We know that by using these agents the anaesthetic experience for your pet is kept as short, pleasant and as safe as possible.
Not surprisingly, as with most technological advances, Propofol and Isoflurane are significantly more expensive than some of the other agents, and unfortunately this cost has to be passed on to you.
However, Propofol and Isoflurane are considerably safer than the other agents are and since we would not make compromises with our own pets we feel very strongly that we should not make compromises with yours. We hope that you will agree that the increased safety is well worth the extra cost.
A trained veterinary nurse monitors all our patients until they are fully recovered. Furthermore we use anaesthetic monitoring devices including pulse oximeters routinely and electrocardiographs where indicated which can provide early warning of cardiac and respiratory dysfunction during anaesthesia.
We hope that you are reassured that we are committed to the very safest anaesthetic practices.
All anaesthetics carry a risk. We have striven to reduce that risk as much as possible.
Rabbits and other small mammals - such as guinea pigs - may not need to be starved overnight before anaesthesia. However the feeding regime for these animals should be discussed fully with your veterinary surgeon prior to an anaesthetic.
