What can be done to minimize the risk of anesthesia?

We tend to minimize that risk by having a trained veterinary staff monitor your pet. Not only is your cat connected to certain machines like an EKG, but we also measure oxygen saturation, blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration rate. But also, you have a physical person that's trained to monitor them for any problems that might happen.

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.