Your Pet’s Scheduled Surgery

The night before surgery, withhold all food and treats after 7:00 pm. Water may be left available throughout the night until 7:00 am. If you are currently administering medications, supplements, etc., please contact our office for instruction on whether or not to give them the morning of surgery.

On the morning of surgery, please be sure to come with your fasted pet at your scheduled drop off time, unless other arrangements have been made in advance. You will be given a Pre-anesthetic Release Form to sign and be asked to provide phone number(s) that you will be reachable at while your pet is with us. Failure to be reachable may result in postponement of the surgery.

Pre-anesthetic Blood Work is very important to the well being of your pet. In most cases this is required prior to sedation. This panel helps to alert our team to the presence of dehydration, anemia, diabetes and/or kidney disease, or infection that could complicate the procedure. These conditions may not be detectable otherwise, thus not allowing for the most appropriate and safest anesthetic regime. These tests are similar to those your own physician would run to detect health changes prior to surgery, and to develop faster, more accurate diagnosis and treatment of certain conditions.

Once release forms and estimates are signed, you and your pet may be directed into an exam room to meet with the veterinarian prior to surgery if there are questions or details to discuss, or a technician will directly escort your pet to the comfortable treatment area to begin pre-surgical preparation. They will have their own quarters with bedding to rest while waiting. At this time, your pet’s blood work will be performed and he/she will be given a pre-med injection and an I.V. catheter may be placed. If any concerns or findings arise upon examination and/or blood work results, the doctor or staff may contact you at the number in which you provided prior to surgery or at anytime during your pets stay.

Anesthetic Procedures are generally done with a combination of pre-anesthetic medications/injectable and/or inhalant anesthetics to achieve optimum levels of anesthesia that are safe and effective for your pet. For most procedures, our patients are anesthetized and then intubated (insertion of a tube into the trachea or wind pipe). This ensures that they will be able to receive oxygen at all times and prevents aspiration of fluids into the lungs. Most often, sedation is maintained with an inhaled anesthetic, which is very safe and is not metabolized by the body. It also allows us to have great control over the depth of sedation. Our patients are monitored hands-on and continuously from the beginning of pre-anesthetics through the recovery period. Intravenous catheterization and the administration of fluids during surgery are standard practice. This allows us to have quick, available access to the circulatory system (vein) in case of unforeseen emergency, and we are able to provide supplemental fluids, which support the circulatory system and prevent dehydration, as well as quicker recovery from anesthesia. For procedures requiring minimum sedation, an injectable anesthetic alone may be given that produces a good plane of surgical anesthesia with quicker recovery. We also utilize a computerized surgical monitoring system that records heart/pulse rate, oxygen levels, respiration, ECG, core and rectal temperatures.

Following Surgery, you will be notified promptly once your pet’s procedure is finished and a discharge time will be established. We rarely keep patients overnight, as it is most appropriate and comfortable for them to finish postoperative recovery at home.

When you arrive to take your pet home, payment will be taken for services rendered and a technician will then go over all discharge instructions verbally and a written copy will be provided. Your pet will be groggy and may seem confused, tired, unsteady on their feet, have little appetite, or exhibit restlessness or agitation. Medications may be sent home post operatively, including but not limited to, pain control, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and prescription diet. You may in some cases need to schedule a recheck appointment or suture removal time. Your pet may have to wear an e-collar to prevent licking, restrict exercise, etc. During discharge you will be fully instructed, but if you do not understand or have questions, please do not hesitate to ask for clarification. We also ensure that a veterinarian or registered vet tech is available after hours if needed.

Potential Surgical Complications, although uncommon, may occur. These include, but are not limited to bleeding, swelling, infection, suture reaction, and unfavorable outcome. It is important for you to understand that there is always some inherent risk involved with anesthesia and surgical complications may arise anytime that surgery is performed. However, we strive to take the highest quality care of your pet before, during and after surgery to ensure the best outcome possible.

We understand that surgery can be a very anxious time, but please be assured that we are here to provide the most pleasant and rewarding experience with the best results for both you and your beloved companion. Thank you for entrusting your pet to us at Village Veterinary. Printable version, click here