Soft-Tissue Surgery

Your pet should not be fed for 12 hours prior to any anesthetic procedure, but may have a small amount of water.

Today’s modern anesthetic monitors have made surgery very safe. Here at Sprayberry Animal Hospital, we do a thorough physical exam on your pet before administering anesthetics in order to ensure that a fever or other illness won’t be a problem. We also adjust the amount and type of anesthetic used depending on the health of your pet.

Pre-anesthetic blood testing is important in reducing the risk of anesthesia. It is recommended that all pets receive blood testing before surgery to ensure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthetic. Even apparently healthy animals can have serious 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. If serious problems are detected, surgery can be postponed until the problem is corrected.

We offer an in-house blood test before surgery which we will go over with you when you bring your pet in. For pets over 6, our doctors prefer the more comprehensive screen, because it gives them the most information to ensure the safety of your pet. Comprehensive blood work needs to be done at least 2 days prior to any surgery. For geriatric pets or ill pets, additional blood tests, or x-rays may be required before surgery as well.

It is important that surgery be done on an empty stomach to reduce the risk of aspiration 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.

Your pet will be assigned a technician to monitor him/her closely during and after the procedure. We utilize a very thorough chart to track your pet’s vital signs which include the monitoring of the pulse, temperature, oxygen saturation, etc. so that you are able to rest easy while your pet is in our care. The veterinarian will call you when your pet is awake and recovering and at that time, they will give you an estimated time when you can pick up your pet.

For many surgeries, we use sutures that absorb underneath the skin. These will dissolve on their own and do not need to be removed later. Some surgeries, especially mass removals, do require skin sutures. 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 need to be removed 10 to 14 days after surgery. During the healing process, you will also need to limit your pet’s activity level. Remember that no baths are allowed for the first 10-14 days after any surgery.

Anything that causes pain in people can be expected to cause pain in animals. 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. Pain medications will be prescribed depending on the type of surgery performed. Major procedures require more pain relief than things like minor lacerations.

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. The cost of the medication can range depending on the size of your dog. Recent advances in pain medications have allowed for better pain control in cats than ever before. If needed, we will administer a pain injection prior to surgery. After surgery, pain medication is given on a case by case basis. Any animal that appears painful will receive additional pain medication.

Injectable pain medications may also be used after surgery on both dogs and cats. Providing whatever pain relief is appropriate for your pets comfort.

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.