Pre-Surgical Information

Here are a few tips if your pet has been booked in for surgery at the hospital:

Please ensure that your pet does not eat after midnight the evening before surgery, water is allowed. Do not give your pet any food on the morning of the surgery, this is because the combination of food and anesthetic could cause them to vomit while under sedation. There may be some exceptions to the timing of food and water withdrawal.
If you have a cat who normally goes outside, it is advisable to keep them in the house the night before their surgery so that you know where they are and are not searching for them at the last minute before bringing them in for surgery.
For the safety of your pets, please bring them to the hospital in a carrier or on a leash. If you do not have one, we would be happy to provide you with one.
For your convenience, you can bring your pet in the night before surgery at no additional cost. This may give you peace of mind knowing that your pet will be here for their scheduled surgery time and you can get to work on time.

Prior to surgery, we strongly recommend that pet owners agree to pre-anesthetic screening, which is a simple blood test performed by our in-house lab. Bloodwork can reduce the risk associated with anesthesia by detecting underlying physical problems that can not be detected by a routine physical examination. It is important to confirm that your pet’s kidneys and liver will be able to breakdown the anesthetic after the surgery as failure to do so may be fatal to your pet. In addition, platelets are checked to ensure that their blood is able to clot so that bleeding complications do not occur during surgery. Furthermore, both white and red blood cells are examined to identify any infections and anemia. If any medical problems are highlighted as a result of the blood work then we may have to postpone surgery in order to treat your pet before they can undergo anesthesia.
Similarly, fluids are administered during surgery for many important reasons: to help maintain blood pressure, provide an emergency intravenous access (if needed), combat dehydration and help flush out anesthetic, which helps your pet recover faster and smoother after surgery.

Your pet can be collected during office hours to ensure that you will be educated on all things to watch for. We also realize that most pet owners are very excited to see their pets, and for this reason, we have included a condensed version for you:
If your pet has an incision, please make sure to look at it twice a day. Watch for an increase in redness, swelling or for any discharge. If you see any of these signs please call the hospital and we would be happy to help you out. Please discourage your pet from licking at the incision site. Not all pets will need an E-Collar (cone) but if they are licking at the incision then one can be picked up at the hospital.
If your companion went home with a cast or bandage, please make sure that it does not get wet or that the bandage does not move. If you notice any changes at all, please call the hospital and we will be happy to assist you.
Please follow all labels on any medications that were sent home with your pet. If you have any questions please call us during clinic hours.
A food recommendation may have been made for your pet. If you have any questions, or to further discuss your pet’s nutritional needs, do not hesitate to call one of our health care team members.