Pre-anaesthetic assessment for general anaesthesia

What it involves

The pre-anaesthetic assessment is a separate visit, or a stage of a visit, at which the vet checks whether a dog or cat can safely undergo anaesthesia and which anaesthetic protocol will suit it best. It is not a formality: it is the moment at which we pick up hidden problems with the heart, kidneys, liver or blood clotting before the first drug is given.

The result of the assessment is that the patient is assigned an ASA risk class (from I — a healthy animal, to V — a critically ill patient) and a written plan: which drugs, at what doses, what monitoring and what safeguards (fluids, warming, additional tests). At our practice this is governed by standard STD-01 — every patient goes through the same pathway, whether the procedure is a dental clean or a major operation.

The owner receives clear information: whether the procedure can go ahead on the planned date, or whether something needs to be treated or investigated further first, and what the real anaesthetic risk is for this particular animal.

When it is used

We carry out the assessment before every general anaesthetic and before deeper sedation: neutering, dental procedures, orthopaedic operations, endoscopy or tumour removal. In young, healthy animals it can take place on the day of the procedure; for seniors, patients with chronic disease or breeds predisposed to heart disease, we recommend a visit a few days beforehand, so that there is time for additional tests.

Indications: symptoms that should prompt a visit

• The dog or cat has a procedure planned under anaesthesia and needs to be assessed to see whether it is ready for it.
• The animal is over 7–8 years old and has not had blood tests for a long time.
• The cat or dog tires more quickly, coughs or has a heart murmur previously found by a vet.
• The patient drinks and urinates more than usual, which may indicate a kidney problem.
• The animal has previously had difficulty waking up or a reaction to anaesthetic drugs.
• Brachycephalic breed (bulldog, pug, Persian) — assessment of the airway is needed before anaesthesia.
• The patient takes regular medication that may interact with anaesthesia.

Conditions for which we use it in particular

Diagnostics beforehand

The basis is the history and a full clinical examination: auscultation of the heart and lungs, assessment of the mucous membranes, pulse and temperature. We then perform a full blood count and blood biochemistry (kidneys, liver, glucose, protein, electrolytes) in our laboratory — we have the result within about an hour.

If the vet hears a murmur, the patient is a senior or belongs to a higher-risk breed, we add an echocardiographic examination and, if needed, an ECG at the anaesthesia station. In patients with suspected lung disease or tumours we perform a chest X-ray. All of this is so that the anaesthetic is matched to the animal's condition, and not the other way round.

How it proceeds

Aftercare

After the assessment the owner receives written instructions: usually 8–12 hours of fasting before the procedure (water until the morning), information on which medication to give and which to withhold, and the admission time. We discuss test results on site or by phone if some of them (for example, tests sent to an external laboratory) arrive later.

If after the visit you notice anything worrying — vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, coughing — call before the day of the procedure; any new problem may change the anaesthetic plan.

Frequently asked questions