What happens before the surgery?

Your pet needs to fast for 8 hours before surgery, so take away any access to food from 8pm the night before. Your pet should still have access to water. REMEMBER, no breakfast.
When you drop off your pet with us, we will require at least 10 minutes of your time to answer some questions.
After you have left your pet with us, our caring and attentive nursing team will settle your pet into their new environment which includes warm fluffy bedding.
A blood test will be performed to check vital organ functions; we will discuss this either before surgery day or during admission with you.
Our veterinarian will perform a pre-anaesthetic check, including a physical examination (to check things such as teeth, ears, nails, lumps etc) and a TPR check (Temperature, Pulse, Respiratory) prior to commencing surgery.
Pre-medication will be given to minimise stress and settle down your pet prior to the anaesthetic
A catheter may be placed into a vein to provide access to your pet’s circulatory system. This enables us to easily administer intravenous fluids, anaesthetic and pain relief.
To ensure your pet is as comfortable as possible, we have a detailed pain relief protocol to ensure your pet receives the appropriate level of pain management.
All instruments to be used in your pet’s procedure are sterilised before use.

What happens during the surgery?

Your pet will be intubated for anaesthetic. Anaesthesia is induced and maintained with gas by placing a tube into your pet's windpipe.
Your pet will placed on a surgical table in our sterile operating theatre. Sterile gowns are worn and all instruments are sterilised prior to their use.
Your pet will be kept under constant monitoring care. Respiratory monitors show us when your pet takes a breath, stethoscopes allow us to hear your pet's heartbeat and pulse oximeters display a readout of heart rate, pulse strength and blood oxygen levels.
A dedicated, trained member of our nursing team will assist our veterinarian during your pet’s procedure
In most cases, we administer intravenous fluids during surgery to assist in your pet’s recovery.

Your pet will be moved to our recovery area, where a nurse will carefully monitor your pet as they recuperate. It is very important that your pet stays warm during the initial stages of recovery, so we will use items such as heating pads and keep them comfortable.
When you pick up your pet, we will require at least 10 minutes of your time. We will schedule a follow up recheck visit within 7 days and provide you with an information sheet about keeping your pet comfortable and caring for them at home. We will also prescribe pain relief medication to aid in your pet’s recovery.
It is very important that you contact us if you have a concern, no matter how minor you think it is.
When you attend your recheck visit within 7 days of the procedure, we will examine your pet to ensure that they are fully recovering and remove their stitches.