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Pre-Surgical Information
Spaying or neutering your pet is a big step! There is a lot to consider
when we are planning your pet’s surgery. Here is some information to help
you make wise decisions.
Click here . . .
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Special LibraryOur Special Library
is a collection of informative articles on a variety of health topics.
Click here . . .
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Discharge InstructionsClick here for
information on how to care for your pet at home.
Click here . . .
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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?
Anesthesia is as safe as you choose it to be. While we
can never totally eliminate all risk from anesthesia, there are
many things we can do to help make anesthesia a as safe as it can possibly be.
A balanced anesthetic protocol, intravenous catheter and
intra-op fluid support, and pre-anesthetic bloodwork are three
ways we can reduce the risks of anesthesia.
For a detailed discussion of these safety measures,
click here. When combined with appropriate
patient monitoring, anesthesia becomes a much safer proposition.
For a detailed summary of what appropriate patient monitoring
is,
click here.
Will my pet be in pain?
The short answer is "yes." Surgery hurts, and there is no way around that. Some clinics apparently don't believe that surgery hurts, or that it hurts but doesn't hurt very long, because they don't prescribe take-home pain medication. At Sunnyside Veterinary Clinic, we believe that surgery hurts. Although your pet may not be screaming in agony, we believe that surgery can cause significant pain that one injection is not going to take care of. That is why we always prescribe take-home pain medication, and recommend strongly that pre-emptive pain medication be used. For a more detailed
explanation of pain in animals, click on the
Pets in Pain link. Click
here for a video presentation on pain management by the pain
management team at the Colorado State University College of
Veterinary Medicine entitled
Is Your Pet in Pain?".
At Sunnyside Veterinary Clinic, we are leaders in pain
management.Pain medications will be administered
according to the surgery performed. Major procedures
require more pain relief than things like minor lacerations.
We have a variety of medications at our disposal, including
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioid pain killers,
continuous-rate infusions, pain patches, epidurals, and local
blocks.
Can my pet eat before surgery? 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. Water can be left
down for the pet until the morning of surgery.
Will my pet have stitches?
Skin sutures are still the best, most reliable method of
closing skin. They do have to be removed. While this is a
free office visit, we do ask that you schedule an appointment.
We generally remove sutures two weeks post-op. In the
meanwhile, 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. No baths are
allowed until the sutures are removed.
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 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 10
minutes of time for the pre-surgery exam and consultation to
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 10 minutes to go over your pet's home care needs.
Please don't hesitate to call us with any questions about
your pet's health or surgery.
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