OPERATION! - how are they conducted in small animal practices?
Before the operation
The Vet will check the animal’s health and history. They will then note the risks of the operation (to note, the risk of an animal dying under a anaesthetic is actually much lower than I first thought). Animals are placed on a scale from 1-5 based on how high their anaesthetic risk is, with 1 being the lowest risk and 5 being the highest risk. It is also advised that the pet is the correct weight for the operation (animals that are too heavy/light carry far more risks than if they were at a healthy weight and will often go up a number of the risk scale).
The anaesthetic
The animal is given an injectable anaesthetic. This is given through an IV catheter. An IV catheter is a plastic tube which attaches to a vein, this allows the vet/vet nurse to deliver medication and fluids to the animal much more easily. Once the animal is asleep under the anaesthetic, they are given an endotracheal tube - this allows the animal to breath and opens up their airways so that air can reach their lungs. This is pure oxygen and anaesthetic gas (to keep the animal asleep). The anaesthetic gas may be something like isoflurane or sevoflurane. During the surgery, if it is felt it is needed, the animal may be given extra drugs such as ketamine and xylazine.
Monitering
A Vet nurse will constantly monitor an animal under anaesthetic. They will hold a checklist and check vital signs. These checks include: heart rate, breathing rate and CO2, blood oxygen levels (this is called pulse oximetry), body temperature and blood pressure. They also monitor the effectiveness of the anaesthesia and the reflexes of a patient. For example, if the patient is twitching slightly, it may be a sign that more drugs are needed. Vet Nurses must learn to do this with and without a machine. The machine that can be used for this is called a multiparameter veterinary monitor. However, if the probes are not placed correctly, this can lead to inaccurate readings. This is why it is so important for vet nurses (and vets) to be fluent in reading an animal’s vitals independent from a machine.
The surgery
The area of incision will be shaven with clippers. Then a vet nurse will clean the area for the incision. This involves using a piece of cotton wool and some diluted chlorhexidine. Then the patient is lint rollerered to remove any excess hair that may have fell off from the clippers. In this time the Vet will be prepared for surgery. It is extremely important that they remain sterile during the operation. Therefore, the equipment used in the surgery is prepared in an ultrasonic cleaner and autoclave and packaged to ensure that it is completely sterile.
Waking up
As a vet nurse once told me, the most dangerous part of the surgery is the waking up - for both the Vet and the patient. If a patient is still
https://lbah.com/feline/anesthesia-in-animals/
https://bomimed.ca/veterinary-vital-signs-machines-choosing-the-right-system/
https://vet.ratavetsurgery.co.uk/resources/surgical-preparation-guide/