Anesthesia
Galena Veterinary Hospital uses the most up to date anesthetic drugs and monitoring to provide safe anesthetic procedures. A pre-surgical exam is always performed to determine any risks that the patient may have, so that the proper anesthetic protocol may be used. It is also suggested that preop bloodwork be done prior to sedation to determine any underlying issues that the physical exam was unable to find. An intravenous catheter is placed and maintained throughout the procedure to maintain hydration status and in the event of an emergency there is access to the cardiovascular system for emergency drug therapy. Sedation and anesthetic induction drugs are chosen specifically for each patient so that safety during the procedure and recovery are as easy and painless as possible. Sevoflurane is the quickest acting gas anesthetic that is available currently. It is the same gas anesthetic that is used on young children because the patient can be brought out from anesthetic quickly. We also monitor the patient under anesthetic diligently with blood pressure monitoring, pulse oximetry and a dedicated monitoring staff member. Anesthesia is always a risky situation, but with the latest in drug therapy; the most up to date monitoring technology, and a dedicated staff to your pet's safety, Galena Veterinary Hospital provides a safe situation for those times where anesthesia is necessary.
Dentistry
As veterinary medical knowledge has advanced and subsequently the life span of our pets has increased, there has been a greater awareness of how dental disease affects the rest of the body. The number one problem that is seen at Galena Veterinary Hospital is periodontal disease in cats and dogs. Periodontal disease can lead to many other problems within the rest of the body. It initially causes pain like a tooth ache as people know it. The animal may not chew their food as well, so that some mild to moderate gastrointestinal disease may occur. Finally, periodontal disease can allow for oral bacteria to get into the blood stream and cause problems in other parts of the body like the heart valves, kidneys and liver.
Galena Veterinary Hospital suggests that, in order to combat periodontal disease, owners make their pets teeth a priority. Daily brushing and other ways of removing plaque and calculus are suggested. However, it is still likely that your pet will need a professional prophylactic teeth cleaning (prophy). We have an up to date ultrasonic scaling machine that will clean your pet's teeth in a safe and thorough manner. We also polish the teeth and apply a fluoride treatment during our routine prophy. Unfortunately, the dental disease may have already advanced to a point where additional therapy may need to be provided. Antibiotic gels can be place within deep gingival pockets to allow for reattachement of gums or it may be so severe that extraction may be necessary. Antibiotic therapy also may be instituted to help with gingival infection. A dental radiograph may also be necessary to determine the amount of bone loss under the surface of the gum line, if any.
Click here to read more about the importance of dental care.
Surgery
The doctors at Galena Veterinary Hospital are familiar and comfortable with many different surgical procedures. For those surgical procedures that they are uncomfortable with, they would refer to a specialist in Reno that has had additional training. Your pet's health is the main issue on deciding if a surgery is performed at Galena Veterinary Hospital. We use sterile techniques when doing surgeries to keep any bacterial contamination down to a minimum. One of our licensed veterinary technicians monitor every surgery to ensure your pet is doing ok. This includes watching their blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, SpO2 level, temperature and mucous membrane color. Typically, we try to send home the patient the same day as the surgery. Normally, we ask that the patient be dropped off between 7:30-8:30 AM and they are not allowed to eat any food after 9:00pm the night prior to surgery. Surgery is performed that morning and the patient typically can go home any time between 3:00-5:30 PM.