10 Questions you should your ask your vet before anesthesia

10 Questions you should ask your veterinarian BEFORE anesthesia

1. Does the veterinarian perform a pre-anesthetic exam prior to

administering ANY medications?

2. Do you tailor an anesthetic protocol to every specific patient or do you

simply use a formula to determine how much medication to administer

by weight?

3. Do you place an IV catheter in EVERY patient to ensure quick access to

the cardiovascular system in the event of an emergency and provide

adequate fluid therapy during the procedure? Proper hydration is

essential for a quick and safe recovery from anesthesia.

4. What monitoring equipment is used during the anesthetic procedure:

pulse-oximetry (oxygen saturation of blood), blood pressure monitoring,

ECG monitoring (to evaluate cardiac activity), core body temperature,

etc.

5. Do you monitor for ETCO2 changes (capnography): an often overlooked

but extremely important parameter that determines how well a patient is

breathing and exchanging gases within the lungs.

6. Is an anesthetic log created with documentation every 5 minutes for

monitoring of anesthesia and included in the patient’s medical record for

accountability and evaluation? This is to be completed by a trained

surgical technician during every procedure.

7. Is the patient ALWAYS monitored by someone other than the

veterinarian throughout the entire procedure until the patient is extubated

(tube removal)?

8. Are multiple surgeries performed with the same surgical instruments

creating a potential for cross-contamination and decreasing sterility?

9. Are individually wrapped suture and surgical gloves used for EVERY

procedure?

10. Is the veterinarian available by phone and/or in person after-hours for

ANY questions or concerns you might have during the evening and night

of the procedure?