What to Expect on Surgery Day (as well as before and after.)

After you and your veterinarian have decided that surgery is the best option for your pet, we will recommend a pre-operative blood panel to ensure your pet is healthy enough to undergo anesthesia. We suggest bloodwork be performed within 4 months of the surgical procedure. This will provide us with the best information possible about how your pet’s organs are functioning. It may also expose any underlying disease that is not yet obvious.

Once that blood panel has been evaluated and your pet is considered a good candidate for surgery, you will bring your pet in the morning of the procedure as scheduled with our receptionists. It is important that your pet does not eat after 8:00 PM the night before and does not have any breakfast or treats that morning. Typically, you can allow your pet to drink water the night before. Please let us know if your pet is on any medication so we can determine what your pet can have the morning of the procedure.

When you arrive you will meet with a staff member to fill out consent forms and leave the best phone numbers to contact you throughout the day. It is very important to be available by phone should the doctor need to reach you with any questions prior to or during the procedure.
Before undergoing any procedure the surgeon will examine your pet to affirm that your pet is still healthy and can proceed with surgery. An IV catheter will be placed, giving us intravenous (IV) access to administer medications for sedation, antibiotics, and fluids, if necessary, to maintain your pet’s blood pressure.

When your pet is ready to go into surgery, a sedative and pain medication will be given. Once anesthetized, your pet will constantly be monitored by a veterinarian, and a veterinary technician while undergoing his procedure. After the procedure is complete a veterinary technician will stay with your pet until recovered appropriately.

When it is time to pick up your pet, a technician will review home care information with you and answer any questions you may have. This usually takes 5-10 minutes to review everything thoroughly. Your pet may go home with medication, so please let us know if you have any questions about these. Always know that we are happy to answer any questions you have at that time or give us a call later!