high-quality vet service

Anaesthesia

At Southpaws, we believe in comprehensive multidisciplinary care for our patients.

In veterinary practice, most procedures, surgeries, and investigations are performed under sedation or general anaesthesia. As such, anaesthesia plays an integral role in veterinary medicine.

Southpaws has a dedicated team of highly trained veterinary anaesthetists and nurses who care for your pet throughout their diagnostic and/or surgical journey. Our vet anaesthetists will perform a thorough physical examination focusing on essential organs such as the heart and lungs. Blood tests may be ordered to evaluate how well the body systems function before anaesthesia. The anaesthesia team will then establish a tailored anaesthesia protocol based on whether your pet is healthy, coming for an elective procedure, or has a life-threatening condition requiring immediate surgical attention. Each patient has a dedicated anaesthetist who will monitor your pet while asleep with specialised equipment and ensure their comfort.

At Southpaws, we believe that a dedicated and highly trained anaesthesia team plays a crucial role in improving patient care and enhancing procedural outcomes. Southpaws is the only Veterinary Hospital in Melbourne with at least two full time specialist anaesthesiologists on staff.

Dr Sebastien and Dr Benedetta are both Board-Certified Specialists in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, meaning they have undergone an advanced supervised residency training and successfully passed a rigorous set of examinations. Dr Sebastien is the President of the American College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia (ACVAA), and Dr Benedetta is also a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.

The ACVAA website has important information for Pet Owners. The following video will show you the standard of care provided by ACVAA diplomates when performing general anaesthesia on a dog.

Meet the anaesthesia team

How Anaesthesia for Veterinary Surgery on a Dog is Performed

FAQ’s

Our anaesthesia team understands that hospital visits, unfamiliar people, smells, and other animals can be stressful for your pet. We focus on minimising these stressors with plenty of tender loving care.

At Southpaws, we take a fear-free, stress-free approach, ensuring both pets and clients feel comfortable. If your pet tends to be anxious in new environments, please let us know! Stress and anxiety can worsen some health conditions and increase pain perception. If needed, we may recommend pre-visit medication to help your pet have a calm, positive experience during their time with us.

At Southpaws, your pet is closely monitored by a veterinary anaesthetist or nurse throughout the entire anaesthesia and recovery period. After surgery, the inhalant anaesthetic is stopped, and your pet is kept on oxygen while vital signs are continuously observed to ensure maximum safety.

Once fully awake, your pet is transferred to a quiet, cozy recovery room designed specifically for dogs or cats. A dedicated nurse remains with your pet during this time, coordinating with the anaesthetist and your primary clinician to ensure smooth post-operative care.

We conduct a thorough physical assessment and provide comfort, keeping your pet warm and monitoring pain levels with validated tools. If needed, additional pain relief is administered to ensure a comfortable recovery.

Your pet will also receive plenty of care and affection from our entire team during the recovery process.

We prioritise the comfort of both pets and their owners. We understand that unfamiliar environments can be stressful, so we take a slow, gentle approach to build trust with each pet, using positive reinforcement to reduce fear and anxiety.

For anxious pets, we use a “less is more” approach, providing Lick-Mats, enrichment toys, calming music, and soothing scents to create a peaceful, comforting space.

If your pet is anxious in hospital settings, let us know—we can recommend pre-visit medication to reduce stress. We understand it’s hard to leave your pet with us, so please don’t hesitate to discuss any concerns.

At Southpaws, we treat pets like family, providing the same level of care they would receive in a human hospital. We use the same drugs, anaesthesia machines, and monitoring equipment as in human anaesthesia, and our specialists undergo similar residency training. Even our processes, like checklists, are adapted from human medicine.

Every patient is continuously monitored by our anaesthesia team from premedication until they are fully awake. Our anaesthetist acts as their advocate, ensuring safe and compassionate care at every step.

Not all heart murmurs in pets pose a risk for general anaesthesia. Our anaesthetists will perform a thorough cardiac auscultation and review your pet’s medical history during the pre-anaesthetic assessment. If needed, further tests may be recommended, especially for non-emergent procedures.

If your pet is on heart medication, contact our reception team the day before the procedure to confirm which medications to give or withhold. We may also perform chest X-rays and an ECG to assess heart size and detect abnormal rhythms before anaesthesia.

For significant heart murmurs or severe cardiac issues, we recommend a referral to a veterinary cardiologist for an echocardiogram. This helps our anaesthesia team choose the safest approach for your pet.

In emergency surgeries where a cardiologist referral isn’t possible, we’ll customise the anaesthetic plan to reduce cardiovascular risk and closely monitor your pet throughout surgery and recovery.

Brachycephalic dogs like bulldogs, pugs, and Shih Tzus are at higher risk for anaesthesia complications due to brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). BOAS causes airway issues like narrowed nostrils, an elongated soft palate, and a smaller trachea, making breathing difficult. These dogs are twice as likely to experience complications, particularly post-surgery, with common issues like dyspnea, regurgitation, and aspiration pneumonia.

At Southpaws, our anaesthesia specialists use tailored protocols for brachycephalic dogs, especially during BOAS surgery, to minimise regurgitation, reduce anxiety, and manage pain. This helps lower the risk of airway obstruction and other complications.

If your dog has breathing difficulties or BOAS, please inform us before the procedure. We may suggest pre-visit medication to keep your pet calm.

Our team is experienced in providing safe anaesthesia care for brachycephalic dogs, ensuring their safety throughout surgery and recovery.

Dachshunds, with their bold personalities, can become anxious in hospital. Our anaesthetist Benedetta, a dachshund owner herself, understands their quirks and builds trust through our fear-free, stress-free approach. At Southpaws Melbourne, we find that tender care often works better for calming dachshunds than medication.

There are no major concerns with anaesthesia for dachshunds, even during long surgeries like IVDD. However, they can sometimes develop a low heart rate. Our team monitors heart rate and rhythm throughout surgery with an ECG, and medication is given if necessary to maintain blood pressure.

We also prevent low body temperature with warming devices and blankets. Additionally, we take special care of your dachshund’s long spine to ensure comfort and safety during their stay.

It’s normal to feel apprehensive about your pet undergoing general anaesthesia, as there is always some risk involved. However, having a dedicated, highly trained anaesthesia team significantly reduces this risk through careful evaluation and monitoring.

Most pets experience no issues with anaesthesia when properly cared for. Studies show the risk of death is 10 in 10,000 dogs within two weeks of an anaesthetic procedure, with the risk dropping to 1 in 10,000 for some elective surgeries.

At our Malvern and Moorabbin locations, we offer anaesthesia consultations for your peace of mind. Our specialists, Dr Sebastien or Dr Benedetta, can explain what to expect and provide a personalised risk assessment for your pet.

Your pet’s comfort is our top priority, and our anaesthesia specialists are extensively trained in pain management to provide the safest care. Before surgery, we create a personalised pain management plan tailored to your pet’s specific needs. Our approach is holistic, addressing not just the pain source but also your pet’s overall well-being, and multimodal, using low doses of various medications for targeted and effective pain relief.

We also use advanced techniques like loco-regional blocks, which numb the surgical area and reduce pain during and after the procedure. This approach minimizes the need for extra medications, lowering the risk of complications and reducing post-anaesthesia effects.

While in the hospital, we consistently assess pain levels using validated tools, adjusting treatment as needed to ensure your pet’s comfort. At discharge, we provide a detailed pain management plan, including guidance on monitoring your pet’s pain at home and signs to watch for.

At Southpaws, we are deeply committed to pain management, ensuring your pet’s smooth and pain-free recovery.

Older dogs and cats have a higher risk of anaesthesia complications due to decreased organ function, limited respiratory and cardiovascular reserves, and slower elimination of anaesthetic drugs. In a multi-centre study, dogs over 12 were seven times more likely to experience severe complications.

However, age itself is not a disease, and not all senior pets are the same. At Southpaws, our anaesthesia specialists use customised protocols to minimise respiratory and cardiovascular risks and ensure a smooth recovery.

Our team is experienced in safely managing anaesthesia for older pets, ensuring their well-being throughout the procedure and recovery.