General anaesthesia at Milton Keynes Veterinary Group

General anaesthesia provides a controlled unconscious state that is required to perform certain procedures.  These procedures could be elective, planned or in an emergency.  Milton Keynes Veterinary Group uses safe and modern anaesthetic agents and monitoring equipment throughout your pets procedure until they are fully awake.

We understand that should your pet require a general anaethetic for a procedure, this can feel daunting, so we want to prepare you for what to expect.

Is general anaesthesia safe?

General anaesthetic is generally safe and major side effects and complications are rare. Our dedicated and skilled team use safe and modern anaesthetic agents, and will take into account your pet’s medical history and any current medical conditions when conducting the procedure.  Your pet will be closely monitored during all phases of their anaestheitc induction, throughout the procedure and their recovery period with the use of our high standard monitoring equipment. We will also ensure that your pet remains as comfortable as possible with appropriate pain management throughout their stay. If you are concerned regarding your pet’s anaesthetic, please discuss with our team prior to their procedure.e.

The days prior

When your pet is booked for a planned or elective procedure, our team will provide instructions in advance of their appointment. Dogs should be allowed to toilet before leaving for the clinic, and cats will need to be kept indoors with a litter tray to prevent them disappearing on the day of their procedure.

For cats and dogs, our team will request that you remove access to food for a short period before the procedure, your pre operative instructions will provide specific timings to follow. Restricting access to food reduces the risk of regurgitation while under general anaesthetic, which in some cases can cause aspiration pneumonia (a lung infection caused by inhaling regurgitated food or vomit). Should your pet require a specific diet (for example, due to a food allergy) please bring their food with you on the day so that they can be fed after their procedure.

Rabbits and small pets do not require starving prior to their procedure (in fact this can be dangerous), and should eat as normal until they are brought to your appointment. It is a good idea to bring some of their favourite or usual foods so that they can be provided with these as soon as they wake up to encourage them to start eating as soon as possible.

In emergency situations, it may not be possible to starve you pet prior to the anaesthetic due to the nature of their condition. Our veterinary team will keep you fully informed throughout your pets stay with us.

On the day

Prior to your booking our Client Care team will usually provide a set of pre operative instructions and a consent form for your pet.  It is important you read through both documents carefully and familiarise yourself with the instructions for starving your pet and the arrival time for their admission appointment on the day of their procedure.   Please bring the completed consent form along to your admission appointment for our team to go through with you – this will stay with your pet for their procedure and provides us with your informed consent to proceed with treatment.  At your admission appointment, one of our Veterinary Nurses or Veterinary Surgeons will explain the planned procedure in detail, together with the possible risks, and will be happy to answer any additional questions you may have regarding your pets stay.

In some scenarios, when the procedure is underway, new information may become available that could result in changes to the planned procedure. Providing correct contact details for someone who is available and can make decisions for your pet on your consent form is imperative so we can get in touch should our veterinary surgeon need to call with any updates. In the instance that you are not reachable, our veterinary surgeons will make a decision based on their clinical judgement and in the best interest of your pet.

Following admission of your pet to our surgeries, our team will weigh them and ensure that they have comfortable accommodation for the day with us. For most procedures involving a general anaesthetic, patients will be given a pre-med – this contains safe, modern medications that will help them relax as well  pain relief where appropriate.

Routinely, for most procedures here at Milton Keynes Veterinary Group, we also place an intravenous catheter when your pet is admitted.  For cats and dogs, this catheter will be used to administer their anaesthetic induction agents, but also allows intravenous access should it be needed in an emergency situation. Some induction agents can be given into the muscle.

After the induction agent has been administered and your pet is asleep, our team will place an endotracheal tube which protects their airway from stomach contents and ensures safe delivery of oxygen and anaesthetic agents for your pet. Throughout your pet’s anaesthetic, the Veterinary Surgeon and Veterinary Nurse will manage the anaesthetic, with the Veterinary Nurse at your pet’s side throughout taking measurements and observations. High standard monitoring equipment will also be used to help monitor their parameters.

When the procedure is completed, the anaesthetic agent will be turned off, but your pet will continue to receive oxygen via the endotracheal tube. Our Veterinary Nurses will continue closely monitoring your pet for signs they are regaining consciousness and remove the endotracheal tube as they start to wake up. The Veterinary Nurse will then transfer your pet back to their bed in our kennel area and ensure they are comfortable. When they are awake enough, your pet will be offered food and water, and dogs taken outside to toilet if needed. Once we are happy with their recovery, our team will contact you to update you on the procedure and arrange a collection time for them to go home. During the discharge appointment, you will be given all the necessary information for your pet’s care over the following days and we will book a post operative check with a member of the team where appropriate.

The days following

Each pet will respond differently following an anaesthetic procedure, some may be back to their normal selves quickly, where others may appear lethargic or even hyperactive following their stay with us. Commons signs that may occur following anaeshetic can include gastrointestinal upset (including vomiting or diarrhoea), suppressed appetite, lethargy or restlessness. Due to the placing of the endotracheal tube, some pets may also have a slight cough due to a little irritation. If you have any concerns regarding your pets behaviour following their stay with us, please contact the team and we will be happy to help.  If your rabbit shows signs of decreased or suppressed appetite following a procedure, please contact the practice urgently.