FASTING:

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As a general rule we advised that the night before surgery your pet is allowed to eat their dinner but after that all access to any food must be removed by 10pm (this also includes any food that is left out for other pets in a multi pet household).

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As for water, your pet is allowed access till water up until the morning of their surgery. NOTE- If your pet has a pre-existing medical condition then their fasting requirements may be different to the above mentioned guidelines.

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Should you ever suspect that your pet may have eaten or drunk outside of the faster requirements it is very important that you inform our team upon your arrival to the clinic.

 

ADMISSION ON SURGERY DAY:

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For most of our surgeries, you will be asked to drop your pet off at our clinic between 8:15am-9.15am.

At that time we run through your pets admission form and answer any questions you may have about your pet’s surgery.

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Some of our admission questions may include:

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• Has your pets appetite/demeanor been normal?
   

• Has there been any coughing/sneezing, vomiting/diarrhea?

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• Is your pet currently on any medication?
   

• Does your pet have any allergies?
   

• Is your pet on any special diet?
   

• When did your pet last eat/ drink?
   

• Would you like us to run Pre-Anaesthetic blood?

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If your pet requires any medications we kindly ask that you also bring them down with you on the day of your pets surgery.

We will also take this time to check that your contact details are up to date on our record system and that there is a designated person to contact during your pet’s hospitalization.

 

PRE-ANAESTHETIC BLOODS:

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With all general anaesthetics in veterinary medicine there is always some degree of risk involved, just as there is for humans under general anaesthetics.

In order to provide a safer anaesthetic for your pet our clinic does offer the option for your consent for us to run Pre-anaesthetic Bloods.

This simple blood test allows us to check the health and function of your pet’s vital organs such as the kidneys and liver which are responsible for metabolising the anaesthetic drugs both during and post surgery. Pre anaesthetic bloods may also provide results about your pet’s health that a general physical examination performed by our vets may not find.

Please note that this blood test is optional for all patients under 7 years of age however patients that are 7 years old and over pre-aneasthetic bloodwork is mandatory prior to any general anesthetic at Cooks Hill Vet Clinic, this is due to the fact that kidney and liver function may begin to decline at this age despite there being no outward signs of deterioration.

 

YOUR PET'S SURGERY:

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Once your pet has been admitted to our clinic, the first step in their experience will be a physical examination. This examination is carried out before any medications are given to ensure that your pet is healthy and fit for an anaesthetic and there are no concerns that may affect the surgery.

Once your pet is given the all clear our team will administered medication prior to the surgery, specifically a sedation and pain relief. These medications allow your pet to feel more calm and comfortable prior to surgery.

When the pre-surgery medication has set in the anaesthesia will be administered by a veterinarian via an intravenous injection. This is done by shaving the fore leg of your pet and a catheter placed into the vein.

Once this is administered, if your pet is having sterile surgery, the site of the surgery will be shaved and cleaned for surgery. This is done to minimise the risk of infection during surgery. To help maintain the anaesthesia during surgery, a tube is placed into the windpipe and the anaesthesia administered via a gas.

Throughout the procedure our team will be monitoring your pet at all times to ensure that the anaesthesia is proceeding safely.

Once the surgery is completed your pet will be moved from surgery and placed in a quiet warm area to recover where they are continued to be monitored until they are sitting up and recovered from their anaesthesia.

When our team is assured your pet has recovered from their anaesthetic we will contact you to arrange a discharge time for your pet.

Upon discharge our team will run through all discharge instructions and any medication/care instructions your pet may need post surgery

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DISCHARGE:

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Pick up times will vary depending on the procedure undertaken on your pet and their recovery time. Pick up times often fall between 4-6pm.

On discharge our vet will explain all the aftercare information you will need to care for your pet at home.

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