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Anesthesia for Radiation Therapy

December 12, 2016

Anesthesia and Your Pet

Repeated anesthesia is routinely performed on radiation patients with only rare complications because of the short-duration and minimally invasive (non-painful) nature of this treatment. We take a number of precautions to reduce these risks significantly, including careful patient screening, IV catheter placement, intubation for each anesthesia, and close monitoring of vital paremeters under anesthesia. However, rare anesthetic complications including life-threatending complications are possible.

• Remember, your pet must be fasted before each treatment. Aminimum of 6 hours is required for safety reasons, water is find to give your pet until you arrive at our office.
• We will feed your pet once treatment is complete, we have a bland diet available at the hospital, but it is best to bring your pet’s normal food. Please remember to bring your pet’s food and all medications with you on the day of treatment.
• You may notice a slight cough; this is caused by the tube placed each day to protect you pet’s airway during anesthesia. This will resolve once treatment is complete.
• Your pet may be a little sedate or off balance for the remainder of the day, some pets may whimper or whine more than usual. Your pet’s eye may look watery because we use eye lube in their eyes while they are under anesthesia.
• Please remove the colored band-aid from your pet’s leg once you arrive home.