Anesthesia

Nashville Veterinary Specialists is very fortunate to have a full time board certified anesthesiologist on staff, Dr. P.K. Hendrix.  All patients have a specifically tailored anesthetic plan to minimize patient risks and aggressively control pain.  Several pain management strategies are implemented on a regular basis with frequent use of epidurals, local nerve blocks and injectable opioids.  All anesthesia is monitored by licensed veterinary technicians.

Vital parameters that are monitored during general anethesia include:

• Temperature
• Heart rate
• Respiratory rate
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• End tidal carbon dioxide levels
• Blood pressure – Direct or indirect
• Pulse oximetry – Blood oxygenation levels

Mechanisms to control pain:

• Epidurals
• Regional nerve blocks
• Constant rate infusions (CRI)
• Injectable medications -Opioids, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, others