Vetrica Policies – Pulse Oximetry Increases Anaesthetic Safety

This machine is a pulse oximeter. It measures the amount of oxygen in the blood of a patient by shining a special light through the tissues being tested. It is non-invasive, completely painless, and absolutely standard in human anaesthesia. This gives an early warning that something is going wrong in an anaesthetic, giving crucial time to intervene before any damage is done. Pulse oximeters are still only rarely used in animals.

At Vetrica, all patients¹ undergoing anaesthesia have their blood oxygen measured by pulse oximetry where it is possible to do so.

NOTE 1: Some pets, notably small mammals, are not suitable for the use of pulse oximetry due to the limitations of the technology

HAVE A QUESTION OR WANT TO FIND US Click here