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Here is Oden on the way to the surgical suite. He
is always handled slowly and gently, with minimal
stress. This is one of the keys to our success.
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He is initially given an injectible sedative to calm
him and make the anesthesia smoother. Here Dr. Adams
is giving him anesthetic gas. When he was fully relaxed
a breathing tube was placed in his trachea for the
duration of his surgery. The tube supplied him with
oxygen and anesthetic, and allowed us to give him
precise amounts of anesthesia.
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Any time we anesthetize a sea lion we take advantage
of the situation and perform a thorough exam.
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A blood sample was also obtained to check the status
of his vital organs. We keep a database of these samples
to help in case Oden becomes ill in the future, and
also to help us with other sea lions.
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Oden was attached to monitoring equipment to monitor
his vital signs during the procedure
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An IV drip was set up and fluid drip was administered
and he was prepped for surgery
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Lisa assisted Dr. R during the neuter and closely
monitored Oden's vital signs during the neuter
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Once the initial incision is made the surgery proceeds
rapidly. We do not want to keep Oden under anesthesia
for very long, so Dr. R. completes the procedure within
15 minutes. Oden has a significant amount of blubber
which made the surgery more unique than the average
dog or cat!
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Immediately after the procedure Oden is given pain
medication and checked before he is sent to his recovery
cage. When he is fully awake he will be closely monitored
for several days.
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Oden's incision is small for rapid healing. You can
see his sutures running vertically towards the bottom
of this picture. They will dissolve by themselves
and do not need removal.
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