Pre-Surgical Information

Your pet has been scheduled for a surgical procedure. This can be scary. We do everything we can to minimize the risks associated with surgery. Below is some information on some options available to help make the surgical process as safe and problem-free as possible for both you and your pet.

CBC and Profile
This is a pre-anesthetic blood analysis which increases the safety of any surgical procedure. This blood screening gives a good overall evaluation of the body systems. Very often, subtle changes are apparent in the blood work that do not show up in a routine physical exam. Such things as anemia, low-grade infections, kidney or liver disease, any of which could increase the risk of undergoing anesthesia or surgery, can be diagnosed and possibly corrected prior to the surgery. We can do the blood draw ahead of time or on the day of the surgery, whichever is more convenient for you.

Pain Control
Recent studies have shown that pain and discomfort can actually slow the healing process and increase the risk of post-surgical complications. To make your pet more comfortable and help speed recovery we offer two levels of pain control:

1. An injection given prior to starting surgery to control pain as your pet wakes up from anesthesia.
2. Medication for you to follow up with at home. Ask your technician about pain medication for your pet.

Most pets undergoing routine elective surgeries are sent home the same day. We know your pet will be much happier home with you, which helps speed recovery.

Follow these instructions before bringing your pet in for elective surgery:

• No food after 8pm the night BEFORE surgery.
• Free choice water is OK, even after 8pm.
• Exercise the morning of surgery helps encourage urination and bowel movements before coming into the clinic.
• Please inform us of anything we should know prior to surgery.
• Ask any questions you might have – we want to make sure you understand everything about the surgery beforehand.