Overview of discretionary invasive procedures on animals

Sometimes, when an animal is sick or injured, veterinarians might need to do something called a “discretionary invasive procedure.” This means they need to use special tools and techniques to get inside the animal’s body and fix something that’s wrong.

Let’s say a dog has a really bad toothache. The veterinarian might need to do something called a dental extraction, which means they have to remove the tooth from the dog’s mouth. To do this, they will have to give the dog medicine to make them feel sleepy and not feel any pain. Then they will use special tools to get the tooth out of the dog’s mouth carefully.

Another example of a discretionary invasive procedure is when a cat has something stuck in their stomach. The veterinarian might need to do something called an endoscopy, which means they have to use a tiny camera on a long tube to look inside the cat’s stomach and find the thing that’s stuck. They might have to give the cat medicine so they don’t feel any pain, and then they will put the camera down their throat and look around. If they find the thing that’s stuck, they will use special tools to remove it gently.

These kinds of procedures are only done when it’s really necessary to help the animal feel better. The veterinarians are very careful when they do them, and they always make sure the animals are safe and comfortable throughout the entire process.