Surgery and Anaesthesia
Surgery and Anaesthesia
If your animal is admitted to our clinic, our aim is to make this stay as comfortable and stress free as possible for both animal and owner.
Pre anaesthetic and sedation:
• Starve from 7.00pm the previous night (Keep cats in)
• Do not starve rabbits and small animals.
• Allow free access to water all night.
• Encourage dogs to defaecate and urinate before arrival.
• Admissions are between 8.30-9.00am and will be carried out by a veterinary surgeon.
• We encourage all animals over 8 years old to have a pre-anaesthetic blood test, which checks for certain pre-existing conditions that may not be evident on examination, but would increase the risk of an anaesthetic.
Please discuss any concerns or changes in your pet’s behaviour with the vet on admission.
Always leave a contact number and please ring our dedicated hospital line number
01492 536350 between 2.00pm and 3.00pm for an update.
When hospitalisation of a pet is considered the most appropriate option, owners can visit day or night by arrangement.
Post Anaesthetic and Surgery
• Following an anaesthetic please keep your animal in for 24 hours.
• Feed a light meal this evening unless otherwise instructed.
• Discourage licking and pulling at any stitches. Lampshade collars may be worn if necessary.
• If there is any swelling or seepage please contact the clinic for advice.
• Cat castrates, there are no stitches to remove.
• Cat spays: see at 10 days for stitches out.
• Castrate dogs: lead walks only for the first 5 days and see at 10 days for stitch removal.
• Bitch spays: no walks for 5 days, then lead walks only. Discourage jumping. See after 2-3 days for a post op check then a further 7-8 days for stitch removal.
• Rabbit castrates: keep him in a warm and quiet environment for 24 hours. Encourage him to eat as soon as possible. The stitches are dissolvable so there is no need to return. Check that he is passing urine and faeces and do not bed him on shavings or sawdust for 7 days. Check for seepage or irritation.
• Rabbit spays: as above but there are stitches to remove after 10 days. Discourage licking and pulling at the stitches and use a lampshade collar if necessary.
• Corneal surgery: discourage scratching or rubbing of the stitches. Wear lampshade collars as necessary and apply any drops that are prescribed.
• If your pet has had a third eyelid flap procedure, be aware that they cannot see on that side and may run into things. Also, the suture sometimes pull through and you may be able to see the eye again. This is not an emergency but you should make an appointment to see the vet as soon as you can in normal hours.
• Please complete any antibiotic courses prescribed.
• Some procedures may have special post op instructions which you will be given.
IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO RING FOR ADVICE ON 01492 531448
OR RING VETS NOW AT NIGHT OR WEEKENDS ON 01492 338082 WHO WILL BE HAPPY TO ADVISE YOU.
(THEY HAVE FULL ACCESS TO YOUR PET’S CLINICAL NOTES)