Surgery Day Information

Scheduling and preparation:

• • Your patient will have a preset admit time to arrive at the clinic. When you arrive we will review the procedure, answer all questions, and double check that sign-in paperwork is complete.
• • Pre-surgical lab work is required for our patients that undergo general anesthesia. Lab work can be performed with our team, or your primary care team, prior to the surgery day. The type of lab work indicated for your pet will depend on their age, overall health, and concurrent disease conditions.
• • Once lab work is completed, our doctor will review the results. The results will be discussed with you. If any concerns are identified (for example, a urinary tract infection or low platelet count), they can be addressed prior to surgery.
• • In addition, having lab work completed prior to surgery offers time to tailor patient specific anesthetic protocols.

Food and water before surgery:

Patients having surgery should not have any food after 10 pm the night before. Water is ok to give.

Medications prior to surgery:

Any on-going medications for preexisting disease will be discussed and we will make a plan for how to administer them around the day of surgery. If you have any questions about the medications that your pet is taking, please let us know.

Communications:

• • We will work to communicate with you throughout the day. At the time of admission, please share your preferred communication style. Whether it be a text, a phone call, or an email - we want you to know what is happening while your pet is in our care.
• • We will notify you when your pet’s procedure begins and the doctor will call you when the surgery is complete and arrange the discharge appointment time for your pet to go home.
• • You are always welcome to call and check on your pet anytime throughout the day.

Expectations around going home after surgery:

All surgeries will be out-patient which means that we expect your pet to go home the same day as the surgery is performed. If a patient requires after-hours care, we have partnerships with local after-hours emergency teams where you can bring your pet if the need is present.

Let us know if you have special time considerations. We are happy to work with you.

Patients are discharged back to their families after the patients are bright and alert with normal vitals and good pain control. Each patient leaves our care alert, comfortable, and looking forward to a meal and a good night’s rest at home.