Surgical FAQ's

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 monitors make surgery even safer than in the past. Here at Petworks Veterinary Hospital, we do a thorough physical exam on your best friend and blood testing before administering anesthetics, to ensure that a fever or other illness won't be a problem. We also adjust the anesthetic used depending on your pet.

Preanesthetic Blood Testing

Preanesthetic blood testing is important in reducing the risk of anesthesia. Every pet needs blood testing before surgery to ensure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthetic. Even apparently healthy animals can have 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. Every patient is safer having IV fluids during anesthesia and patients with minor or major dysfuctions have even greater requirements. If serious problems are detected, surgery can be postponed until the problem is corrected.

For more mature or ill pets, additional blood tests, electrocardiograms, or x-rays may be required before surgery as well. It is not possible to be too safe.

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 after 10:00pm the night before surgery. Water can be left down until the morning of surgery.

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 later. 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. Detailed instructions will be sent home with your pet after surgery.

Will My Pet Be In Pain?

Anything that causes pain in people can be expected to cause pain in our pets. We consider Petworks to be a ‘no pain zone’. 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. The pain medications needed will depend on the surgery performed. Major procedures require more pain relief than things like minor lacerations. We have committed ourselves to be a ‘no pain zone’ for our patients and so we take their comfort very seriously. We may be sending your pet home with medications that we didn't talk about before surgery if we think they need them.

For dogs, we may recommend an oral anti-inflammatory the day after 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.

Similarly for our cat patients there are many medications that we can use to prevent them from having post surgical pain. Providing whatever pain relief is appropriate is a humane and caring thing to do for your pet.

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 10 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.