Local Anesthesia

If your pet is having a minor surgical or diagnostic procedure performed, we sometimes use a local anesthetic to help control pain. For example, when we perform a biopsy (in which a small portion of tissue is surgically removed so it can be examined), we often use a local anesthetic. Local anesthetics cause a loss of sensation in the area where the procedure is being performed. We sometimes use a sedative and/or anxiolytic (anti-anxiety medication) in combination with the local anesthetic to keep pets calm during a procedure.

We also utilize local anesthetics during dental procedures such as open root planing or extractions in the form of regional nerve blocks. These are injections done in the mouth just like at your dentist to numb the area. This allows us to use lower volumes of general anesthesia, making these anesthetic procedures safer for your pet. 

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns about your pet receiving local anesthesia or about the procedure for which your pet is scheduled.