Cats and dogs that undergo anesthesia tend to see higher mortality rates than their human counterparts. With these concerns in mind, experts at recent events have focused on how veterinarians can safely administer anesthesia.

A 2017 JAVMA study examined the risk of anesthetic-related death in about 1.3 million dogs and 275,000 cats anesthetized between January 2010 and March 2013 at Banfield Pet Hospitals, which have similar anesthetic protocols for every hospital. The risk of death for dogs was about 1 in 2,000 anesthesia episodes, and the risk for cats was about 1 in 900 anesthesia episodes.

In contrast, the risk of anesthetic-related death in human medicine is about 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 250,000 anesthesia episodes, said Anderson F. da Cunha, a professor of anesthesiology at the Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Unlike doctors in human medicine, veterinary professionals treat more than one species, each with its own unique anatomy and physiology. So they need to have broad medical knowledge and adjust as needed, da Cunha said.

Factors that decrease the odds of anesthetic-related death are:

An equipment check with a protocol and checklist.
Direct availability of an anesthesiologist and a trained nurse.
No change of anesthetics during the procedure.
Two people available for emergencies.
Post-operative pain management.
Epidural or local analgesia rather than systemic analgesia.
Pulse oximetry to measure blood oxygen levels.
General monitoring.

Da Cunha said all studies—on horses, rabbits, cats, dogs and humans—agree that monitoring is key to reducing mortality rates. He also recommended following an anesthesia checklist to prevent mistakes.

More guidance from other experts is available from the AVMA. The American Animal Hospital Association provides anesthesia and monitoring guidelines for dogs and cats.

Experts offer advice for safe anesthesia in dogs and cats