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Anesthesia

Safe, carefully monitored anesthesia keeps your pet comfortable during surgeries and procedures.

Anesthesia: Safe and Comfortable Care When Your Pet Needs It
Whether your pet is having a routine procedure like a spay or neuter or a more complex surgery, anesthesia allows us to perform treatment safely and without pain. At our hospital, your pet’s safety and comfort are our top priorities every step of the way.

We use modern, carefully monitored anesthesia protocols tailored to your pet’s age, breed, size, and health status—because no two patients are the same.

What Is Anesthesia?

Anesthesia is a medically controlled state where your pet is temporarily unconscious and pain-free. It allows us to perform surgical or diagnostic procedures without stress or discomfort. Most veterinary anesthetics are delivered through a combination of injectable medications and inhaled gases, depending on the procedure.

There are also milder forms of sedation we may use for imaging or dental cleanings when full anesthesia isn’t required.

Is It Safe?

Yes, anesthesia is very safe when properly administered and monitored. We take every precaution to minimize risk by:

  • Conducting pre-anesthetic exams and bloodwork

  • Tailoring the type and dosage of anesthetic drugs to your pet’s needs

  • Using advanced monitoring equipment to track vital signs during the procedure

  • Staying by your pet’s side throughout the entire process

Our team is trained to watch even the smallest changes and adjust care in real time. If your pet has a heart murmur, kidney condition, or other health concern, we’ll modify the plan accordingly or recommend additional precautions.

What Happens Before, During, and After?

Before Anesthesia

  • We perform a full exam and run blood tests to make sure your pet is healthy enough for anesthesia.

  • If necessary, we place an IV catheter for fluids and emergency access.

During the Procedure

  • Your pet receives medication to gently fall asleep and remain pain-free.

  • We monitor heart rate, breathing, oxygen levels, and temperature throughout the procedure.

  • Adjustments are made as needed to ensure smooth anesthesia and a controlled recovery.

After Anesthesia

  • Most pets begin waking up within minutes of the procedure ending.

  • A team member stays with your pet as they transition out of anesthesia.

  • We send your pet home only when they are fully awake, stable, and comfortable.

You’ll receive detailed recovery instructions and we’re always here to answer questions post-procedure.

We understand that anesthesia can be a source of concern for pet parents. That’s why we approach it with careful planning, skilled execution, and open communication—so you can feel confident your pet is in trusted hands.

🐾 Looking to keep your pet healthy and happy? Visit us—we’re here to support every step of the way.

FAQs

We have provided some answers to our most common questions.

The Josh Client Assistnace Fund is a reserve of donations established in honor of Whole Pet Veterinary Center's former clinic cat, Josh. While Josh now lives with a graduate of our veterinary intern program, he originally came to us with multiple chronic and life-threatening illnesses that were too costly for his family to manage. We hope that with the creation of the Josh Fund, we can provide financial assistance to a small number of pet parents in need of unanticipated critical vet care. Funds will be used at the discretion of the veterinarian overseeing individual cases, along with that of the practice manager.

At Whole Pet Veterinary Center We accept cash, checks, all major credit cards, and CareCredit.

At Whole Pet Veterinary Center, we are an outpatient clinic. While we do keep patients during the day to perform tests and administer treatments, we do not have overnight/24 hr staff and do not keep pets here unattended. Patients not well enough to return home will be recommended to be transferred to the local Emergency hospital/ICU.

Fear-free vet visits use trained professionals and specialized techniques to reduce stress in pets during veterinary appointments. These visits involve gentle handling, a calm environment with soothing scents and lighting, and the use of positive reinforcement like treats and toys to build positive associations with the clinic. For some animals, a vet may also prescribe anti-anxiety medication or suggest bringing a hungry, food-motivated pet to an appointment for better rewards.

Yes, often. However, we are not an emergency or walk-in clinic, so please call. We save specific time slots in each day for pets needing care more urgently. These do tend to fill up fairly quickly in the morning. If we have reached our capacity for patients for the day, we will need to refer you to the local urgent care or emergency walk-in clinics. While we wish we could serve every patient in need, we also need to make sure that the patients we have for the day have enough staff to adequately care for them.

No, at Whole Pet Veterinary Center, all patient visits are by appointment only.