South Anderson Veterinary Clinic

How do I prepare my pet for their Surgery day?

• We require that you withhold food 12 hours prior to your pet’s scheduled procedure. Water is allowed until the morning of the procedure, but no food after 11 PM the night prior. The day before the procedure we will call and remind you of this and your scheduled drop off time.

1. We require that all pets have pre-surgical blood work done before their procedure. This benefits your pet in many ways. The anesthetic drugs and the pain medications we use pre- and post-op are metabolized either by the liver or the kidneys. In the event that either of these organs is compromised, we would modify our protocol accordingly. Abnormalities in blood work in both young and geriatric animals are often the first indication of an underlying problem that could result in a surgical complication.
2. All patients are scheduled drop off times before 10 AM. Mornings are busy for all of us and we appreciate your patience. Please allow adequate time to fill out the required paper work and for us to address your questions and concerns.
3. Your patience is greatly appreciated. Even though you may drop your pet off first thing in the morning their procedure may not take place until later in the afternoon. Occasionally scheduled and/or emergency appointments may affect our day and when our surgeries get done. Having them here enables us time and flexibility to get their pre-surgical blood work done, and any other pre-surgical procedures or medicating that need to be done before hand.
4. The Doctor will do a thorough physical exam on your pet before administering anesthetics, to ensure that a fever or other illness won't cause a problem.  We also adjust the amount and type of anesthetic used depending on the health of your pet. 
5. The management of pain in veterinary medicine has advanced greatly over the last few years. The use of preemptive pain medication is far more effective than to use the same medication after surgery. Prior to the induction of anesthesia, patients are pre-medicated with drugs that act on the central nervous system to block the perception of pain. These drugs offer the patient a significant reduction in pain and discomfort when combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications used during and post surgery. 
6. Surgical technicians monitor blood pressure, ECG, and body temperature throughout the procedure and recovery period. Some patients are supported with intravenous catheters and fluids. 
7. Gaymar Warm Water Circulating Blankets help minimize the loss of body heat to prevent hypothermia, which is associated with prolonged recovery times.
8. Patients may be discharged after 5:00 PM or stay overnight in the Hospital at No Charge. Whether they are released from the hospital the same day of surgery is left to the doctor discretion & how fast the pet recovers from the anesthesia. The Surgery technician will call you once your pet is in recovery to discuss the specifics and when they may be picked up. 
9. You will receive Personalized Discharge Instructions for your pet when you pick them up. We will review the written home care instructions at the front desk.

• For some surgeries, we use absorbable sutures underneath the skin.  These will dissolve on their own and do not need to be removed later.  
• While other surgeries, especially tumor removals, do require skin stitches. For most Surgeries these will be removed 10-14 days after the procedure. 
• With either type of suture, you will need to keep an eye on the incision for swelling or discharge, checking it twice a day. 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. We have E-Collars available if your pet does chew or lick at their incision. You will also need to limit your pet's activity level for a time and no baths are allowed for the first 14 days after surgery.
• You will get more detailed instructions on how to care for your pet after surgery with their discharge paperwork.

Will my pet be in pain?

• 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.  The pain medications needed will depend on the surgery performed.  Major procedures require more pain relief than others.
• At South Anderson Veterinary Clinic, we provide pain management customized to each patient's specific needs.  We strive to have pain-free recoveries for every individual. Injectable pain medications may also be used during surgery as well as oral medications to be administered at home.  Providing whatever pain relief is appropriate is a humane and caring thing to do for your pet.
• We do require pain medications with all of our surgical procedures.