Surgery
What You Need to Know Before Your Pet's Upcoming Surgery
If your pet is scheduled for surgery, you may have questions about what will happen before, during, and after the procedure. We hope the information here will answer many of your questions and help you to prepare for the various decisions you will be making.
Is the anesthetic safe?
Modern anesthetic monitors make surgery much safer than it used to be. At Waterford Veterinary Center, your pet will be examined thoroughly before any anesthetics are administered, to ensure that a fever or other illness won't cause a problem. The amount and type of anesthetic used will depend on the health of your pet. If you have any questions, our health care team is here to answer them for you! Even seemingly healthy pets can have organ system problems that can only be detected through blood testing. Pre-anesthetic blood testing to make sure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthesia is an important step to reduce the risk of anesthesia complications. The results of your pet's blood testing will help us determine if extra precautions are needed for minor issues, or if the surgery should be postponed until the problem is corrected. For geriatric or ill pets, additional blood tests, echocardiograms, or x-rays may be required before surgery as well. Your veterinarian will discuss any issues that arise with you and explain the necessary procedures. It's also important that your pet's stomach is empty when they undergo surgery to reduce the risk of vomiting during and after anesthesia. You must withhold food for at least 8 to 10 hours before surgery, but your pet can have water until the morning of surgery.
If your pet is scheduled for surgery, you may have questions about what will happen before, during, and after the procedure. We hope the information here will answer many of your questions and help you to prepare for the various decisions you will be making.
Is the anesthetic safe?
Modern anesthetic monitors make surgery much safer than it used to be. At Waterford Veterinary Center, your pet will be examined thoroughly before any anesthetics are administered, to ensure that a fever or other illness won't cause a problem. The amount and type of anesthetic used will depend on the health of your pet. If you have any questions, our health care team is here to answer them for you! Even seemingly healthy pets can have organ system problems that can only be detected through blood testing. Pre-anesthetic blood testing to make sure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthesia is an important step to reduce the risk of anesthesia complications. The results of your pet's blood testing will help us determine if extra precautions are needed for minor issues, or if the surgery should be postponed until the problem is corrected. For geriatric or ill pets, additional blood tests, echocardiograms, or x-rays may be required before surgery as well. Your veterinarian will discuss any issues that arise with you and explain the necessary procedures. It's also important that your pet's stomach is empty when they undergo surgery to reduce the risk of vomiting during and after anesthesia. You must withhold food for at least 8 to 10 hours before surgery, but your pet can have water until the morning of surgery.
Will my pet be in pain?
Animals experience pain just like humans do, although they may not show the same symptoms. Whether or not your pet will need pain medication depends on the surgery performed, as major procedures will likely require more pain relief.
Injectable pain medications may also be used after surgery on both dogs and cats, and any animal that appears painful will receive additional pain medication.
Will my pet have stitches?
For many surgeries, we are able to use absorbable sutures below the skin which dissolve on their own, but for others, such as tumor removals, skin stitches are required. Skin sutures will usually be removed 10 to 14 days after surgery. With both types, the incision will need to be monitored closely for swelling or discharge. Depending on the type of procedure, your pet's activity level should be limited for a week or two. It's extremely important to prevent your pet from licking excessively or chewing at the incision and avoid bathing them for the first 10 days after surgery.
Our technicians perform a thorough check in and discharge process on the day of surgery to make sure all questions and concerns are addressed. In the meantime, please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions about your pet's health or upcoming surgery.
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