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 agents and anesthetic monitoring devices have made surgery much safer than in the past.  Here at Rancho San Carlos Pet Clinic we do a thorough physical examination on your pet before administering anesthetic agents, and will notify you if anything is found that will increase the risk to your pet.  We also adjust the amount and type of anesthetic used depending on the patient's age, weight, health, test results, breed, and the procedures being performed.  

An intravenous catheter is placed and intravenous fluids are given routinely.  If a procedure precludes the placement of an intravenous catheter, then subcutaneous fluids are given.  The intravenous catheter is critical in the rare case of an emergency or complication, allowing the administration of additional medications and therapies.  The fluids administered increase the pet's comfort, increase the rate of clearance of anesthetic agents, help maintain normal blood pressure, and add to the safety of the anesthetic procedure. 

Pre-anesthetic blood testing is important in reducing the risk of anesthesia, and we offer it for every patient undergoing anesthesia.  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.  If serious problems are detected, surgery can be postponed until the problem is corrected.

We also offer pre-anesthetic electrocardiogram screenings for all patients undergoing anesthesia.  An electrocardiogram allows the consulting veterinary Cardiologist to evaluate the rhythm and size of the heart.  Some heart problems can be present that do not cause symptoms during daily activities but would greatly increase the risk of complications during anesthesia. 

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.  We typically will recommend that your pet not receive food after 8:00PM the night before the procedure, and that the water be picked up in the early morning when you get up.

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.  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 may not whine or cry, but you can be sure they feel it.  The type and duration of pain medications needed will depend on the surgery performed. 

For dogs, we may recommend an oral anti-inflamatory the day of 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.  The cost of the medication will vary depending on the size of your dog.

Because cats do not tolerate standard pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or Tylenol, we are limited in what we can give them.  Recent advances in pain medications have allowed for better pain control in cats than ever before.  Rest assured that we will provide the appropriate medications for your cat.

What other decisions do I need to make?

While your pet is under anesthesia, it is the ideal time to perform other procedures, such as dental cleaning, ear cleaning, nail trimming, or implanting an identification microchip.  If you would like to discuss these procedures, or would like an estimate for these extra services, please contact us.

When you bring your pet in for surgery please plan to allow 5 to 10 minutes for completing the necessary paperwork.  When you pick up your pet after surgery you should also plan 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.