What You Need to Know Before Your Pet's Upcoming Surgery

Many people have questions or concerns about surgery and anesthesia for their pet.  We hope this information will help answer those questions.
 

Is the anesthetic safe?
The short answer is: Yes.  Certainly, general anesthesia does have some risk involved and requires careful monitoring, but we at Palos Animal Hospital do our best to ensure that anesthesia will be safe and smooth for your pet.  Each patient is given a physical exam the morning of his or her procedure.  We tailor each pet's anesthetic protocol (amount and type of anesthetic) individually.  While a patient is under anesthesia, they are under close observation to monitor:

- Heart rate and rhythm using an ECG (echocardiogram)
- Temperature
- Blood pressure
- Respiration and carbon dioxide level
- Blood oxygen level

Presurgical blood testing is recommended in all animals, and required for all patients over the age of 3.  Even healthy animals can have serious organ system problems that cannot be detected without blood testing.  If serious problems are detected, surgery can be postponed until the problem has been corrected.  IV fluids during surgery help maintain hydration and blood pressure, which is important for blood circulation to the liver, kidneys, and other vital organs.

A presurgical ECG (electrocardiogram) may be recommended in older pets or pets with known heart disease to check for abnormalities in heart rate or rhythm.  For geriatric or ill pets, more in-depth blood tests or x-rays before surgery may also be required.

Surgery should be done on an empty stomach to reduce the risk of vomiting during and after anesthesia.  Pets should not be allowed access to food after midnight the evening before surgery.  They should be allowed to have access to water.
 
Will my pet have stitches?

Most pets will go home with sutures that need to be removed in 10 - 14 days.  You will need to keep an eye on the surgical site and monitor for swelling, redness, or discharge.  Most dogs and cats will leave their incisions alone and not lick or chew at the sutures, but it is an occasional problem you will need to watch for.  You will also need to limit your pet's activity during this time, and no baths are allowed until the sutures are removed.

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 usually don't whine or cry, but you can be sure they feel it.  Fortunately, there are a lot of very good options for pain control for dogs and cats, and most patients can easily be made comfortable.  Pain medications needed will depend on the surgery performed.  Major procedures require more pain relief than things like minor lacerations.

What other decisions do I need to make?

While your pet is under anesthesia, it is the ideal time to perform other minor procedures, such as dentistry, ear cleaning, 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.

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.  When you pick up your pet after surgery you can also plan to spend about 15 minutes to go over your pet's home care needs.

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.