What to Expect for Your Pet's Surgical Procedure

 

Your pet will be staying with us for most of the day. The veterinarian team will evaluate your pet’s bloodwork and overall health for the expected procedure(s). The staff may contact you prior, during, or after the procedure. Therefore, please make sure you are available to take phone calls at the provided number all day.

As the veterinary team prepares your pet for their procedure, your veterinarian will: 

  • Examine your pet prior to anesthesia.        
  • Determine an anesthetic plan made specifically for your pet.     
  • Shave a leg for a sterile placement of an IV – Catheter. *Your pet may develop bruising and/ or irritation at the site of catheter placement.•     
  • Make sure your pet is monitored throughout the procedure and during recovery.     
  • Recognize and quickly respond to any complications if they develop.        
  • Assess and manage your pet’s potential pain level before, during, and after the procedure.

 

If your pet is having dental work done, the staff may call you during the procedure if they need to authorize further treatments. 
Once your pet is awake, aware, warm and comfortable you will receive a phone call from a staff member and discuss a discharge time. Please be sure to check out upon arrival. A receptionist will take you into an exam room where a nurse or veterinarian will go over discharge instructions. 

 

The Veterinarian or Veterinary Staff will:        

  • Explain follow-up care, including when your pet can begin to eat and drink.
  • Tell you when to resume current medications.
  • Tell you how to give new medications, if needed.    
  • Explain how to recognize signs of complications in your pet. *It is important that you call the veterinarian’s office immediately if your pet has a complication.*            
  • Tell you when to bring your pet back for a re-check.      
  • Give you a copy of the aftercare instructions.

Please note that your pet was intubated and may develop a cough afterwards which may last up to 48 hours post-surgery.

 

Are you interested in elective services (vaccines, anal gland expression, ear cleaning) preformed at an additional cost?

If you are interested in any of these services, please let our staff know. We offer a complimentary nail trim for anesthetic procedures- if you DO NOT want us to trim your pet’s nails, please inform us. 

 

Does your pet have any known adverse reactions to medicine or anesthesia?

If so, please be prepared to inform our staff.


In performing the upcoming procedure(s), your pet will receive a sedation or general anesthetic. Anesthetic and surgical procedures may involve the risk of complications, regardless of patient’s age, health conditions or side-effects to medicine. The pet may incur the risk of injury or even death from both and unknown causes and no guarantee has either been expressed or implied as to the result or cure.  You are encouraged to discuss any concerns about those risks with your veterinarian or nurses before the procedure. 

 

Night-Before Preparation- Please remember, no food past 9pm the night before the procedure.  Water is ok during this time.

Day-Of Preparation- The skin around the surgical procedure will be clipped and scrubbed with an antiseptic. We follow all sterile procedure requirements (surgical preparation, surgical packs, and surgical attire). 

Monitoring– All patients are monitored during anesthetic procedures with an ECG machine, pulse oximetry, blood pressure machine, and capnograph. In addition to the monitoring equipment, all surgeries are manually monitored by the doctor or a dedicated nurse anesthetist during the procedure. 

Catheterization- For most surgical procedures, an intravenous catheter is placed to provide an easy route to administer medications and fluids which allows us to maintain blood pressure and support kidney function during the procedure. A small patch of fur will be shaved to place the IVC. 

CPR- Your pet may require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), including cardiac compressions, positive pressure respiration, emergency medications, or other interventions. If you request such emergency procedures, you will be held responsible for veterinary services provided to your pet while staff members pursue treatment and try to reach you for further directions. Regardless of your pet’s recovery or survival, if you elect for CPR, you are agreeing to pay CPR fees in addition to other fees already identified by the practice and agreed upon by you, the client.