As part of our practice upgrade and refurbishment recently, we have invested in an advanced anaesthetic machine which will help to make anaesthetising pets even safer.
The new unit has a built-in multi-monitor which enables very close monitoring of the patient’s vital signs. These readings include:
- ECG trace – to monitor the electrical activity of the heart and to pick up any unusual heart rhythms
- Blood pressure – readings are taken every few minutes to ensure blood pressure is adequate to continually perfuse organs for oxygen supply and waste removal
- CO2 – carbon dioxide measurements give a good measure of how the patient’s breathing is performing
- Oxygen saturation – the levels of oxygen being carried in the blood which can be affected by circulation and breathing
- Temperature, heart rate and respiration rate are also monitored.
The other huge benefit is the integral ventilator function. This means that we can take over the animals breathing whilst they are asleep or even just assist it if necessary. This is especially important for critical patients.
Finally, the ventilator is able to automatically hold the animal’s breath for a period of time. This clever feature helps to prevent “movement blur” when we are performing a CT scan of the chest or abdomen. This ensures optimal image quality making interpretation easier and this the likelihood of an accurate diagnosis.
This piece of equipment has already made a remarkable difference to many cases. Take a look at the case of “Dory’s Diaphragmatic Dilemma” where our patient was struggling to breathe due to displacement of the stomach into the chest. The ventilator was able to take over the breathing and ensure Dory was stable and safe whilst we performed the surgery to correct her problem.
Read Dory’s story here or click on the image below to read her story
Anaesthetic machine in action. Different monitoring readings and graphs can be seen on the two screens.
As always, the anaesthetic must also be overseen and monitored by a trained member of staff.
Mash and his Detached “Abs”
Mash was rushed into Bicester Vets after his owners felt he “wasn’t right” and didn’t seem able to stand properly at home
Belle had her salivary gland removed!
If left untreated, salivary mucocoeles can continue to grow and cause pain
Beautiful Bella had been shot!
We are all horrified that someone’s pet cat could be shot like this and are thankful that the pellet stopped short of the chest.
