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Murdoch University Veterinary Hospital

Murdoch University Veterinary Hospital has a dedicated team of anaesthetists to help in the examination and treatment of our patients. The Anaesthesia Service includes a number of Specialist veterinary anaesthetists and Residents. Veterinary anaesthetists graduate as veterinarians and then undergo further study for 3 to 4 years before passing examinations that allow them to become Specialists. Although you may not meet any of the anaesthetists when you bring your pet to MUVH, they are very active 'behind the scenes' and are of vital importance in the treatment of our patients.
Anaesthesia
The anaesthetists provide an anaesthetic service to the hospital and it is their job to sedate and anaesthetise dogs, cats, horses and other animals for surgery, endoscopy or other procedures. The most modern and safe anaesthetic techniques are used. Most patients wake up quickly and smoothly, and are alert and keen to eat within hours of the surgery.
		Anaesthetic drugs are individually selected for each animal. This dog is receiving propofol for the induction of anaesthesia and it will then breathe a mixture of oxygen and anaesthetic vapour to maintain the anaesthetic during surgery.
Pain management
An important task of the anaesthetists is to provide appropriate analgesia during and after anaesthesia for those animals undergoing surgery. Many animals receive ongoing analgesia for pain management after surgery. This may be administered intravenously or via transdermal patches similar to those used by smokers trying to quit. Nearly all dogs and cats that are anaesthetised receive inhalational anaesthesia. The patients breathe oxygen mixed with an anaesthetic vapour. Monitoring the animal during anaesthesia is essential - some of the pictures in the small animal surgery pages show the monitoring during anaesthesia of small animals undergoing surgery. Analgesia during and after surgery is an important part of the work of the anaesthetist. In addition to a general anaesthetic, this cat is being given an epidural injection of morphine and local anaesthetic to assist in pain relief during and after its surgery for a pelvic fracture.

Large animals frequently require general and local anaesthesia for surgery. This horse is undergoing arthroscopic joint surgery under general anaesthesia.