Preparing for Pet Surgery
Since surgery is a sterile procedure, you will need to make sure your pet is clean before coming in for surgery. Prepping them as much as possible prior to arriving will prevent any delays.
Dogs & cats can lose the ability to swallow while under anesthesia, so we ask that you do not feed your pet the morning of their surgery. If they do not have an empty stomach, vomit may come up during the procedure, which they will not be able to swallow. This can put them in danger of inhaling it into their lungs.
Day of the Surgery
Your pet may need to undergo a workup, including blood tests. Testing will help the veterinarian to determine if there is anything present that could cause complications during the procedure. Pain medication may also need to be administered to relax your pet before anesthesia is given.
Our experienced pet surgeons understand there are animals that occasionally have special needs when it comes to anesthesia. Rest assured our team will be using the drugs that work best with their specific physiology.
Post-Surgery Care
About 2 hours after surgery, you can begin offering your pet food and water at half the portion size. If your pet refuses it, that is fine, many pets have no desire to eat the evening after their surgery. If your pet skips dinner, you can give them their normal amount of food the next morning.
Provide your pet their pain meds prescribed by the vet only. Please DO NOT ever substitute medication meant for humans, as this can be fatal to pets.
Monitor the surgery site regularly to make sure it is properly healing. If you see any sign of green/yellow discharge, swelling, or irritation, please contact us immediately. Refrain from applying any products to the area without prior approval from our staff.
Following the above pre/post-surgery recommendations will support the wellbeing of your pet, which is our primary focus here at Luv-N-Care Animal Hospital.