Sedation is often recommended in a variety of situations. Whether it be for a minor procedure such as an x-ray, or as a result of your pet being anxious around loud noises, sedatives have an important place in veterinary care.
There are many procedures that may require sedation for your pets comfort and safety. While sedated, your pet will stay awake or sleep lightly but can be roused when stimulated. To minimize any potential risk associated with tranquilization or sedation, we need to assess each animal individually before we administer these medications. The same if true in human medicine. We would never receive a sedative until the doctor was certain it is safe.
Some pets have sensitivity to what they perceive as stressful situations. Sometimes thunder or fireworks can cause a lot of anxiety. There are many natural products that can be used for these situations such as Feliway, Adaptil or Pet Remedy. In combination calm diet can help during these stressful periods.
Other mediations that are stronger require a thorough history, physical examination and blood-work, prior to safe administration. Many medications are metabolized (broken down) by the body through the liver or kidneys. It is extremely important we not give a medication to a pet that already has an organ that is not functioning properly. It is also important to be sure the pet is not sick with an underlying illness, before we provide sedatives. Many medications can not be taken concurrently, and it is always important to fully disclose to the veterinarian, any medications, whether conventional or holistic, that your pet may be taking.
In the past decades, pets were often given sedatives prior to travel. Current research has demonstrated this is not safe. Therefore we do not recommend sedating pets for travel. We do recommend the above natural products, and similar ones for these circumstances. We can also provide some tips on how to prepare your pet for travel well in advance.
Please contact us if you would like to set up an assessment or discuss sedation with us.
