What do you need to know before your pet’s upcoming surgical procedure?
There are many aspects of surgery, we at Lone Star Animal Hospital attempt to make your pet’s surgical procedure be stress free for you and your pet. Please take a moment to read through our general surgical information and protocols to better understand the details of surgery from check-in to discharge.
If you already have a procedure scheduled at our clinic, please click the link below to download our surgical authorization form. You can fill this out ahead of time and bring it with you at the time of check-in. Ask to speak with a surgical technician if you have any questions regarding your pet’s specific procedure.
What do I need before my pet has surgery?
Before surgery pets must be fasted for a minimum of 10 hours prior to their surgical procedure. This is to ensure your pet does not get nauseous from the anesthetic agents we use, which can result in vomiting. It is very serious that you strictly adhere to the policy of no food after 10PM, and no water the morning of surgery.
Your pet must be current on a Rabies vaccine, either through Lone Star Animal Hospital or written proof from another facility. In addition, your pet is required to have an annual heartworm test on file before surgery can proceed. We check heartworm status to ensure your pet will do well under anesthesia. If your pet is heartworm positive, there are extra precautions we will need to make for your pet before surgery can take place.
Fill out our surgical authorization form ahead of time. This allows you to read through our policies, and additional services we offer while your pet is under anesthesia. If you pre-fill out your form, you can spend time speaking with a technician to help understand any questions you may have regarding your pet.
Please be sure your pet is dropped off at 7:30 and allow 10-15 minutes for check-in. This gives our technicians time for the required blood work and IV catheters that must take place prior to surgery. If you need to speak with the veterinarian prior to scheduling a surgical procedure, a surgical consultation with our veterinarian can be scheduled before the surgery. This consultation will allow our veterinarian to examine your animal and address any specific questions you may have.
What additional services can be done while my pet is under anesthesia?
There is a section on your anesthesia drop off form where you can accept or decline additional services. Such as;
-
A pain injection, given to your pet prior to surgery.
-
Pain control to be sent home
-
Antibiotics to be sent home
-
An e-collar (cone) to be sent home
-
A microchip to be implanted during the procedure
-
A nail trim
-
Expression of your pet’s anal glands
-
Cleaning of your pets ears
If your pet is coming in for routine surgery and you want a dental cleaning or growth removed while your pet is under anesthesia, please alert the person checking you in. We can usually add these services on to your pet’s procedure. You can ask for an estimate of services on your surgical form, and a technician will contact you with an estimate prior to the start of the procedure.
What are the anesthetic risks?
It is important to understand the anesthetic risks and possible complications of any surgery. We are always happy to discuss the particulars of the specific surgery case of your pet, since surgery is dependent on many factors. However we at Lone Star Animal Hospital try to minimize risks as much as possible with the following procedures and policies.
A pre-anesthetic exam is always performed on your pet the morning of surgery by our veterinarian to ensure the health and safety of your beloved pet.
Pre-anesthetic blood work is performed on your pet prior to surgery. Our pre-anesthetic profile includes a CBC, a complete blood count, a chemistry (to test liver and kidney values), and a heartworm test if one is not on file for the past year. For more senior pets or pets with established health issues, sometimes more blood work or x-rays are required before surgery will be approved. This is usually discussed before the morning of surgery.
IV catheters and administration of fluids are an important part of our surgeries. We always place an IV catheter in your pet’s foreleg to give quick, easy access to vein in case of an emergency. We facilitate blood pressure while your pet is under anesthesia with the use of IV fluids, and use fluids to help hydrate your pet throughout the duration of their surgical procedure.
We monitor your pet closely from the moment they are induced to fall asleep to the moment they wake up in the recovery room. Patients are monitored closely by our trained veterinary technicians throughout their surgical procedure. We utilize respiration rates, ECG, blood pressure, temperature and oxygen saturation to ensure your pet has the safest, most efficient time under general anesthesia.
What types of Surgeries do you perform?
Our veterinarian performs many types of surgeries. These include:
-
Feline and Canine spays and neuters
-
Growth Removals of all types
-
Dental Cleanings and Extractions
-
Feline Declaws
-
Cesarean surgeries
-
Exploratory surgeries
We are able to perform major orthopedic surgeries at our facility through a board certified orthopedic surgeon who comes directly to our clinic to service our patients.
request an appointmentWhen will I pick my pet up from surgery?
When filling out your surgical authorization form, you will be asked to provide a contact number that a surgical technician can reach you at for that day. Generally all pets are in recovery by 12PM-2PM, a surgical technician will then contact you to let you know how your pet did under anesthesia and give you a discharge time for later in the afternoon. Pets generally go home the same day from most procedures.
Surgical discharges are performed by the surgical technician in charge of your pet’s surgery or by the veterinarian depending on the procedure.
We send home detailed post-operative instructions for our patients to help you understand the restrictions for your pet for the next few weeks.
All pets will have food and water restrictions for the evening following surgery, and are usually able to resume normal feeding the next morning.
Some patients have mobility restrictions, and must be confined to cage or leash walk only.
For many surgeries we use absorbable sutures that dissolve on their own in a few weeks under the skin. However if skin sutures are used in your pet’s surgery we will make a recheck appointment for you at discharge for our veterinary care team re-evaluate your pet’s stitches to be removed- free of charge.
Thinking about scheduling an elective surgery but not sure if you are ready?
Use our links below to read about general surgery and elective procedures. Feel free to call our clinic to speak with a trained veterinary care team member to better understand the procedures and your options.