What You Need to Know Before Your Pet's Upcoming Surgery

Many people have questions about various aspects of their pet's surgery,

 and we hope this information will help.  It also explains the decisions you

 will need to make before your pet's upcoming surgery.

Is the anesthetic safe?

Today's modern anesthetic monitors have made surgery much safer than

in the past.  Here at The Pet Clinic on Main Street, we do a thorough 

physical exam on your pet before administering anesthetics to ensure that

a fever or any other illness won't be a problem.  We also adjust the amount

and type of anesthetic used depending on the health of your pet.  

There are always risks with anesthesia, but we do everything we can to

reduce those risks. Pre-anesthetic blood testing is important in reducing 

the risk of anesthesia.  We recommend that all patients have

pre-anesthetic blood testing two days prior surgery to ensure that

the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthetic.  Even apparently

healthy animals can have serious organ system problems that cannot

be detected without blood testing.  If there is a problem, it is much

 better to find it before it causes anesthetic or surgical complications. 

Animals that have minor dysfunction will handle the anesthetic better

 if they receive IV fluids during surgery.  If serious problems are detected,

surgery can be postponed until the problem is corrected.  We  require

that all patients over the age of 7 years have pre-anesthetic blood

 work, since these patients are considered geriatric, to ensure that

all precautions are taken prior to anesthesia. 

We offer three levels of in-house blood testing before surgery, which

we will go over with you when you bring your pet in.  Our doctors prefer

 the more comprehensive screen, because it gives them the most

information to ensure the safety of your pet.  For geriatric or ill pets,

additional blood tests or x-rays may be required before surgery as well.

It is important that surgery be done on an empty stomach to reduce the risk

 of vomiting during and after anesthesia.  You will need to withhold food

for at least 8 to 10 hours prior to surgery.  Water can be left down for the

 pet until the morning of surgery.

Will my pet have stitches?

For many surgeries, we use absorbable sutures underneath the skin. 

These will dissolve on their own, and do not need to be removed later. 

Some surgeries do require skin stitches.  With either type of suture,

you will need to keep an eye on the incision for swelling or discharge. 

Most dogs and cats do not lick excessively or chew at the incision,

but this is an occasional problem you will also need to watch for. 

If there are skin sutures, these will usually be removed 10 to 14 days

after surgery.  You will also need to limit your pet's activity level for

a time and no baths are allowed for the first 10 days after surgery.

Will my pet be in pain?

Anything that causes pain in people can be expected to cause pain in

animals.  Pets may not show the same symptoms of pain as people do;

they usually don't whine or cry, but you can be sure they feel it.  Pain

medications needed will depend on the surgery performed.  Major

procedures require more pain relief than things such as minor lacerations.

For most surgeries, an injectable pain med is given prior to surgery that

typically lasts 24 hours. We may recommend an oral anti-inflamatory

the day after surgery and several days after to lessen the risk of

discomfort and swelling.  We use newer medications, which are

less likely to cause stomach upset and can be given even the

morning of surgery.  Any animal that appears to be in pain will

receive additional pain medication.

What other decisions do I need to make?

While your pet is under anesthesia, it is the ideal time to perform other

minor procedures, such as dentistry, ear cleaning, or implanting an

identification microchip.  If you would like an estimate for these

extra services, please call ahead of time.  This is especially

important if the person dropping the pet off for surgery is not

the primary decision maker for the pet's care.

When you bring your pet in for surgery, we will need to 5 to 10 minutes

of time to fill out paperwork and make decisions on the blood testing

and other options available.  When you pick up your pet after surgery

you can also plan to spend about 10 minutes to go over your pet's

home care needs. We will call you the day before your scheduled

surgery appointment to confirm the time you will be dropping your pet

off and to answer any questions you might have.  In the meantime,

please don't hesitate to call us with any questions about your pet's

health or surgery.