Understanding Anesthesia Safety
Can you talk about what AAHA evaluates you on?
AAHA evaluates us on many different topics. Today, I want to talk about two of the most important ones that they regulate and evaluate us on, which are anesthesia and surgery.
Why do you think anesthesia and surgery are important?
For pet owners, especially being one myself, anesthesia and surgery are a little scary. When pet owners leave their pets with us for a surgical procedure where anesthesia is needed, we want to make sure that they feel confident that their pet is going to be safe and cared for in the best hands possible.
How does AAHA help ensure pets' safety during procedures?
First, AAHA mandates that a licensed veterinarian must oversee everything related to anesthesia and surgery. Also, there must be a dedicated, well-trained team member solely monitoring the anesthesia during your pet's procedure. Another area that AAHA evaluates us on is ensuring that we have the correct, up-to-date equipment for monitoring your pet during anesthesia, which includes capnography, pulse, ECG, blood pressure, temperature, and respiration monitoring. We also place an IV catheter and an endotracheal tube in every patient undergoing general anesthesia. These two areas give us vital access to your pet to ensure their safety during anesthesia. AAHA has other topics related to anesthesia, including temperature regulation, documentation, training, and patient assessments, all of which we adhere to for your pet's safety.
What about surgery?
Outside of anesthesia, surgery is its own separate category that we are evaluated on by the AAHA. This includes having a dedicated surgical suite that is properly cleaned and sanitized and ensuring our equipment is up to date, well maintained, and properly sterilized between patients.
How do you ensure you stay up to date with AHA regulations?
AAHA covers a broad spectrum of areas that are very important and regulated. We stay up to date on all of these areas. Patient safety is our number one priority when it comes to anesthesia and surgery, and we do everything possible to look out for the best interest of your pet.
If you have any other questions, please give us a call at (513) 563-0410. You can also email us at info@ebapethospital.com and we will get back to you as soon as we are able. Don't forget to follow us on social media: Facebook and Instagram
Jennifer Menninger
Evendale-Blue Ash Pet Hospital- Contact Us