Dear Client,
Your pet has been scheduled for an upcoming surgery in the near future. In our attempt to assist clients, we have put together this packet to make surgery day as easy and stress-free as possible.
In addition to this letter, you will find that the following information has been enclosed: 1. Pre-Anesthetic Blood Testing Information Form (Bring in Day of Surgery)
2. Surgical Information Sheet (Bring in Day of Surgery)
Please read carefully all the enclosed information. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us. On your pets’ surgery day, we require you to review and sign an Authorization/Estimate Form— which allows you to choose optional services.
We require a phone number(s) where you can be reached surgery day.
Failure to be reached on the day of the procedure may result in postponement of the surgery.
The night before your pet’s surgery...
- Withhold all food and treats after 9:00pm.
- Water may be left down after this time period.
- If you are currently administering any medications, vitamins and/or injections, Withhold the morning doses unless otherwise instructed by the doctor.
Please make arrangements for your pet to be dropped off on the morning of scheduled surgery, unless other arrangements have been made in advance. For example, new clients are required to have a pre- surgical visit the morning of procedure and may not have an appointment until later. At time of drop off, our team will be happy to answer any questions/concerns.
Our veterinary nurse will escort your pet to the surgical prepping area to wait for their surgery. The nurse will collect all blood samples and tests prior to surgery if needed.
If any questions arise, the doctor may contact you at the number on the Authorization Form.
You are welcome to check up on your pet’s status, however, we request that you allow plenty of time for your pet’s procedure to be done. When you arrive to take your pet home, the receptionist will bill you out and the veterinary nurse will go over all discharge orders verbally and give you a written copy. If you do not understand any instructions, please do not hesitate to ask them to go over them one more time.
We hope surgery day will be a pleasant experience. Remember, our team knows surgery can be an anxious time and we are always available to answer any and all questions concerning the upcoming procedure.
We look forward to serving you and your pet on the upcoming surgery day and years to come.
SURGICAL INFORMATION FORM
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.
Anesthetic Procedures & Risks
We use a combination of pre-anesthetic medications/injectable and/or inhalant anesthetics to achieve optimum levels of anesthesia that are safe for your pet.
For short procedures, an injectable anesthetic is given alone that produces a good plane of surgical anesthesia with a quick recovery.
For most procedures, your pet is anesthetized and then intubated (insertion of a tube into the trachea or wind pipe). This will ensure that your pet is able to receive oxygen at all times and prevents aspiration of any fluids into the lungs.
For procedures that require minimum sedation, an injectable anesthetic is given that produces a good plane of sedation with quick recovery. Anesthesia is maintained with a gas anesthetic, Sevoflurane, which is very safe and is not metabolized by the body. This allows us to have more control over anesthetic depth and it is less irritating to the airways. Another advantage to Sevoflurane is a quick induction using a mask verses using injectable anesthetics that require metabolism from the body.
Monitoring & Pain Management-Monitoring of patients during anesthesia is done in two ways.
First, a veterinary nurse is with your pet continuously from beginning of anesthesia to recovery.
Second, we have a computerized monitor that records heart rate, pulse rate, oxygen levels, respiration, ECG, core and rectal temperature.
Our clinic strongly believes in compassionate, quality, medical care for our patients. As a result, all surgery patients will receive pain management before, during and after surgery. Additionally, pain medication may be prescribed home. Additional information will be given at discharge. We hope this program will reduce any discomfort experienced and aid in a quicker recovery.
Intravenous Catheterization & Fluids
We highly recommend the placement of an IV catheter and use of IV fluids during all anesthetic procedures. This allows us to have quick, available access to the circulatory system (blood) in case of an unforeseen emergency. The fluids help provide support to the circulatory system and prevent dehydration, as well as aid in a quicker recovery from anesthesia.
Potential Surgical Complications
1. Canine and Feline Spay
- Bleeding, Infection, Recurrent Heat, Urinary Incontinence, Weight Gain or Suture Reactions
2. Canine and Feline Alter
- Bleeding, Infection, Testicular Swelling or Suture Reaction (Canine Only)
3. Feline Declaw
- Bleeding, Infection, Limping/Lameness or Regrowth of Nail
4. Tumor/Lump Removal
- Bleeding, Infection, Swelling and Drainage or Suture Reaction
It is important for you to understand that there is always a risk of anesthetic and surgical complications anytime these procedures are performed. We strive to take the highest quality care of your pet and take all the added precautions you allow to avoid potential problems. Thank you for entrusting your pet to us.
