Signs to watch for include profound lethargy, lack of interest in food, labored breathing, or coughing. Anything that gives you concern should give us concern. In such cases, be proactive and contact our office. At Blue Oasis, we also offer a telehealth service called Anapanion, where you can reach out to me or one of the other healthcare providers after hours or on weekends to discuss your pet's well-being.

After an anesthetic procedure, it's important not to let your cat go immediately back into their home, especially if there may be other pets or small children who may not interact with them in a friendly way. Cats recovering from anesthesia may be more prone to protect themselves. We recommend keeping your cat in its carrier when you take it home, put it into a quiet space like a bedroom or office, and let your cat come out of the carrier on its own. Be mindful to keep your cat away from small children and other pets that might disturb it while it's in recovery, and avoid allowing your cat to jump onto countertops or beds to prevent the risk of falling off.

Returning to normal entails more than just coming out of anesthesia. It usually takes several hours, if not until the next day, for the cat to return to their full normal self after anesthesia. Sometimes, it can even take a couple of days, especially with the narcotics and pain medications we use. However, this does not mean they are not able to go home after they've recovered for several hours after anesthesia. They're usually back to looking around, able to get up and walk around their kennels, and can be safely transported home and put into a recovery place.

When we turn off the gas anesthesia, usually within about 5-10 minutes, cats start to regain consciousness and come out of general anesthesia, entering into the post-anesthetic period. This is the typical timeframe we expect when we turn off the gas for the cat to start coming back to consciousness.

Yes, it is possible that your cat could die from general anesthesia, although it's a very minor risk if all precautions are taken. Veterinarians are trained medical professionals who know how to mitigate risks and promote safety, but there are things that are out of our control when an animal is under general anesthesia. Anesthetic death, although rare, is a real risk of general anesthesia.

Mitigating risks and side effects involves having a complete health exam on your cat, conducting pre-anesthetic blood work to check organ function, and doing an ECG to examine the cardiac rhythm. Checking the heart health before anesthesia is also important.