Anesthesia and Pain-free Care
AVOS is the only team in Colorado with a board-certified specialist in veterinary anesthesia and analgesia on staff. Along with the best surgical care, our patients receive advanced monitoring, care, and pain management techniques from their dedicated anesthetist.
We also add Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in Anesthesia and Analgesia (recognized by the Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Anesthesia and Analgesia) along with our board certified veterinary Anesthesiologist. The VTS ensure that patients with complex anesthetic needs are managed appropriately.
Continuous advanced training, expert care, and teamwork allow us to maintain the highest standards of care in anesthesia. This is another Apex Ophthalmology difference.
What is a VTS?
VTS stands for Veterinary Technician Specialist. Certified veterinary technicians (CVT) that achieve VTS certifications undertake additional training in a recognized specialty field in veterinary medicine. Training takes a minimum of 3 years under the supervision of a board certified veterinary specialist. Specific testing and continued educational requirements must be met in order to maintain VTS certifications each year.
Apex Veterinary Ophthalmology Specialists is the only ophthalmology practice in the Colorado with a VTS team member trained in anesthesia. Their specialized training in anesthesia benefits all of our patients. Especially patients with underlying diseases such as diabetes mellitus, heart disease, kidney disease, and airway disease, including brachycephalic syndrome.
Our leaders in anesthesiology work to provide safe anesthesia for our patients. “We treat each patients like they were our own.”
Nicole Giron
RVT, VTS, AVTAA
Nicole is a Colorado native and has been a Certified or Registered Veterinary Technician for over 20 years since graduating from the Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology. Initially, she began working at an equine referral hospital before deciding to focus on her passion for both ophthalmology and small animal anesthesia. She then worked at a mixed animal ophthalmology practice before pursing her goal of furthering her knowledge and skills in anesthesia at a small animal specialty hospital. There, she was given the opportunity to be mentored by an anesthesiologist and work alongside several other anesthesiologists while providing anesthetic and analgesic case management for a multitude of specialty referral departments. In 2018, she achieved the title of Veterinary Technician Specialist in Anesthesia & Analgesia, recognized by the Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Anesthesia and Analgesia. Since 2022, she has independently offered anesthetic training for technicians and anesthetic case management for patients. She joined the Apex Veterinary Ophthalmology Specialist team in 2024 where she enjoys providing anesthetic care and pampering to patients that are having procedures to either restore their vision or to alleviate discomfort or pain from their ocular condition. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities, supporting her daughter's interests, and observing animals that appear to be enjoying the moment.
