ARK VETERINARY SERVICES, INC.

What You Need to Know Before Your Pet's Upcoming Surgery

Is the anesthetic safe?

Today's modern anesthetic monitors have made surgery much safer than in the past.  At ARK Veterinary Services, we do a thorough physical exam on your pet before administering anesthetics to help detect any problems that would preclude doing an elective procedure. We tailor the type and amount of anesthetic used based on physical exam and blood work findings to minimize anesthetic risks. 

Pre-anesthetic blood testing is important in assessing a patient's internal organ function.  Even apparently healthy pets can have serious organ system problems that can not be confirmed on physical examination alone.  Every pet should have blood testing before surgery to make sure that anesthetic drugs will be metabolized properly.   If a problem is found, it is much better to find it before it causes anesthetic or surgical complications.  If serious problems are detected, surgery can be postponed until the problem is treated.

We offer two levels of in-house blood testing before surgery; the profile recommended for your pet will determined at the time of surgical check-in.  For geriatric or ill pets, additional blood tests, electrocardiograms, or x-rays may be required 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?

For most surgeries, we use absorbable sutures underneath the skin.  These will dissolve on their own and do not need to be removed later.  Some surgeries, especially tumor removals, 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; however, if they do, we recommend wearing an E-collar while not under direct supervision.  If there are skin sutures, these will usually be removed 10 to 14 days after surgery.  We recommend exercise restriction for a short time post-operatively to ensure proper healing.  Baths are allowed for the first 10 days after surgery.

Will my pet be in pain?

Pain management is currently a hot topic in veterinary medicine.  As research in this field is expanded, "old" methods of pain control  in animals are being scrutinized.  For example, we now better recognize the benefits of incorporating pain medications in pre-anesthetics to limit pain during surgery.  When not properly controlled, pain can delay healing time and lead to any number of negative things like lack of appetite or unwillingness to play or interact with owners.

On the same note, it is important to be able to recognize pain so that it can be properly addressed.  Pets typically do not show the same signs of pain as people do; pain tends to manifest in subtle ways like lethargy, hiding or change in appetite.  Animals don't usually whine or cry unless they are extremely painful.  The type of pain medication needed will depend on the surgery performed, for example, major procedures require more potent drugs than minor lacerations do.

For dogs, we may recommend an injectable anti-inflammatory the day of the surgery and oral anti-inflammatories 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 at the time of surgery.  The cost of the medication is dependent on the size and weight of your dog.

Cats are unique in that they are not able to tolerate very many pain medications.  However, recent advances in pain medications have allowed for better pain control in cats than ever before.  We administer a pain injection prior to any surgery; this injection lasts for many days and have proven to be effective at controlling pain.  

We strive to provide the highest level of pain control to ensure that pets get back to normal as quickly as possible after any surgery.  

What other decisions do I need to make?

While your pet is under anesthesia, we like to take the time to perform other necessary procedures, such as a professional teeth cleaning, ear cleaning, or implanting an identification microchip.  Estimates for performing these extra services can be given ahead of time. 

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.