In order for the doctors to appropriately diagnose and treat your pet’s oral disease, sedation or general anesthesia is usually necessary. Safety is our number one priority. Board certified veterinary dentists like Dr. Tsugawa and Dr. Walker receive extensive anesthesia training, and are tested on their knowledge of pain management and the safe delivery of anesthesia during the certification process. The proper administration of pain medication before, during and after your pet’s surgery can reduce the pain and anxiety associated with the procedure.
The doctors design an individualized anesthesia protocol based upon the results of preoperative laboratory tests, the specific oral disease being treated in your pet, and any concomitant health condition (i.e., heart, kidney or liver disease) your pet may have. An appropriately designed, administered and monitored anesthesia protocol can dramatically decrease the risk associated with anesthesia. The very latest in technology is used for patient monitoring under anesthesia, including continuous ECG, blood pressure, end-tidal CO2 and pulse oximetry.
A trained veterinary staff member continuously monitors the anesthesia while the doctors are working on your pet. To maintain your pet’s body temperature under anesthesia, all patients receive: convective air warming, IV fluid warming and a circulating warm water heating pad. By maintaining normothermia under anesthesia, your pet’s recovery is improved and postoperative complications are minimized. All patients receive an intravenous catheter and fluids under anesthesia. Patients receiving general anesthesia are intubated with an endotracheal tube to secure their airway and to prevent the aspiration of water used during the dental procedure.