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.        

Today's modern anesthetic monitors have made surgery much safer than in the past.  Here at Peach Pets Animal Hospital, we do a thorough physical exam on your pet before administering anesthetics, to ensure that a fever or other illness won't be a problem.  We also adjust the amount and type of anesthetic used depending on the health of your pet.  Our provided handout on anesthesia explains this in greater detail, and Dr. Smith will be happy to answer any questions that may arise.

Preanesthetic blood testing is important in reducing the risk of anesthesia.  Every pet needs blood testing before 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 offer various levels of  blood testing before surgery, some can be performed in-house and more extensive testing can be done at an outside laboratory.  Dr. Smith prefers a  more comprehensive screen, because it gives her the most information to ensure the safety of your pet.  For geriatric or ill pets, additional blood tests, electrocardiograms, or x-rays may be required before surgery as well.

When do I need to stop food and water before a surgery?

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 before surgery.  Water can be left down for the pet until the morning of surgery.

For some surgeries, we use absorbable sutures underneath the skin.  These will dissolve on their own, and do not need to be removed later.  Most surgeries, especially tumor removals, 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. In some cases, if the pet is likely to lick, we will provide a special collar that prevents licking and chewing.  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. Your pet should be leash walked outside to potty only, and do not allow running, jumping, or playing until recheck.

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 like minor lacerations.

While your pet is under anesthesia, it is the ideal time to perform other minor procedures, such as dentistry 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. We do not charge extra to express anal glands, trim nails, or clean ears (minor) under anesthesia.

What can I expect the day of surgery?

We will call you the night 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.
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.

We will call you with any updates about your pet, and to let you know when they will ready to go home.

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.

If you have any questions after you get home, don't hesitate to give us a call.