Elite Anaesthesia & Pain Management

Your Pet’s Safety and Comfort are Our Absolute Priorities

We know that handing over the leash or the carrier on the morning of a procedure is one of the hardest things you do as a pet parent. The anxiety surrounding general anaesthesia is completely normal, and it is a concern we take incredibly seriously.

At Bardon Veterinary Hospital, we provide Brisbane's inner-west with an uncompromising standard of surgical and dental safety. We treat every patient exactly as we would treat our own pets. That means no shortcuts. From routine dentistry to complex orthopaedic surgery, our anaesthetic and pain management protocols mirror the elite safety standards found in human hospitals. Here is exactly what happens behind the scenes to keep your pet safe and pain-free.

Step 1: The Morning of the Procedure

Safety begins before the anaesthetic is ever administered. When you bring your pet in, we don't just admit them; we carefully evaluate them.

The Pre-Surgical Physical: Your veterinarian will perform a comprehensive nose-to-tail examination, listening carefully to their heart and lungs.
Pre-Anaesthetic Blood Testing: We strongly recommend blood tests before surgery. Run in our in-house laboratory, these ensure your pet’s liver and kidneys are functioning perfectly to process the anaesthetic.
Tailored Protocols: A young, bouncy Labrador requires a completely different anaesthetic plan than a senior cat with a heart murmur. We customise the medications specifically to your pet's age, breed, and health status.

Step 2: Pre-Medication (Staying Ahead of the Pain)

We believe in staying ahead of the pain. Once your pet is cleared, they receive a customised "pre-medication" injection while resting in their cosy hospital ward. This gently sedates them to melt away any hospital anxiety, and floods their system with pain relief before the procedure even begins.

Step 3: The Safety Net & Mindray Veta 5 Technology

When it is time for the procedure, your pet drifts into a deep sleep and a soft breathing tube is placed to protect their airway. This is where our specialist-grade technology steps in.

Our hospital is equipped with twin Mindray Veta 5 anaesthetic workstations. Unlike standard machines, the Veta 5 features an intelligent, built-in auto-ventilator. This means the machine actively manages your pet's breathing, automatically adjusting the pressure and volume to ensure perfect, continuous oxygenation whether they are a 2kg Chihuahua or a 50kg Mastiff.

While the veterinary surgeon focuses entirely on the procedure, your dedicated anaesthetic nurse stays stationed by their side, using the Veta 5's advanced multi-parameter screens to continuously monitor their heart rhythm (ECG), blood pressure, oxygen saturation, carbon dioxide levels, and core temperature.

Step 4: Advanced Pain Blocks

We utilise a "multi-modal" approach to pain, combining different medications to block pain from multiple pathways. Just like a dentist injects local anaesthetic to numb a tooth, we frequently utilise advanced Local Nerve Blocks and Epidurals. By injecting a numbing agent directly around the nerves of the surgical or dental site, we block pain signals from reaching the brain, keeping your pet profoundly comfortable.

Step 5: Waking Up & Going Home

Because body temperature naturally drops during anaesthesia, your pet is moved to a quiet recovery ward equipped with warming systems (like forced-air Bair Huggers) and thick bedding. Our nursing team sits with them, offering gentle reassurance as they wake up warm, groggy, but completely pain-free.

When you arrive, we will go through a detailed discharge plan and provide a tailored "Pain Management Toolkit" of medications for home. Our care doesn’t stop when you walk out the door—we will call you the following day to check on their progress. At Bardon Veterinary Hospital, your pet is part of our family, and their comfort is our commitment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my pet stops breathing during surgery?

This is exactly why we invested in twin Mindray Veta 5 anaesthetic workstations. These advanced machines feature intelligent built-in auto-ventilators. If a pet's breathing becomes shallow or stops, the machine instantly takes over, delivering the perfect volume and pressure of oxygen directly to their lungs until they wake up.

Is anaesthesia safe for my senior dog or cat?

Yes. Age is not a disease, but it does require tailored care. We run comprehensive pre-anaesthetic blood tests and customise the drug protocols specifically for your senior pet's liver, kidney, and heart function to ensure maximum safety.

Will my pet be in pain when they wake up from surgery?

No. We utilise 'multi-modal' pain management, meaning we administer pain relief before, during, and after the procedure. By using local nerve blocks and tailored medications, we ensure your pet wakes up comfortably and remains pain-free during recovery.

Who monitors my pet while they are asleep?

Your pet is never left alone. A highly trained, dedicated veterinary nurse stays by their side for the entire duration of the procedure, using our Mindray multi-parameter equipment to continuously monitor their heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen, and temperature.