Involves constant administration of inhalant gas to maintain the needed level of anesthesia. A good anesthetist will constantly monitor mucous membrane color, heart and pulse rate, pulse quality, respiratory rate and depth, and eye reflexes. Electrocardiogram gives instantaneous visual and audio picture of the heart rate during a procedure. Blood pressure monitoring equipment is not commonly available in regular veterinary practices. Most anesthetics can cause low blood pressure.
Monitoring enables the veterinarian to intervene when needed.
Doppler is an inexpensive alternative to expensive blood pressure monitoring equipment. Pulse oximetry is becoming more available in veterinary practices. Measures oxygen in the peripheral blood vessels. An excellent means of determining whether an animal is breathing sufficiently to provide oxygen to the blood. With the use of the new and safer anesthetics, animals are coming out of anesthesia quicker, and post-operative pain may be more intense.