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 by a pathologist), we often use a local anesthetic. Local anesthetics (like lidocaine or bupivacaine) cause a loss of sensation in the area where they are injected, similar to the way a dentist numbs a tooth prior to filling a cavity. Often, a sedative and/or anxiolytic (anti-anxiety medication) is used in combination with the local anesthetic to keep patients calm during a procedure.
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.
