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Having an Operation

As experienced vets, we perform operations every day, and the procedures are often routine to us.

However, we fully understand the concern and worry that you suffer when your beloved pet needs surgery, anaesthetic or sedation for dental treatment or an X-ray. Let us explain the procedures surrounding these events so that you may rest assured that your pet is in safe and capable hands.

We ask that all dog and cat patients that will be receiving anaesthesia are not given food after 6pm the day before; just as with people, this is to prevent any possibility of the animal being sick whilst asleep. Small mammals such as rabbits and guinea pigs are not at risk from this, so they may have a small breakfast – please enquire in the case of birds, reptiles and other exotics, as this can vary from species to species.

All patients should be brought in early, as there are a few things that are done prior to surgery. We start by weighing the patient so that we can administer the correct doses of medication and anaesthetic. Older patients may have blood tests to check for underlying health issues such as anaemia, liver or kidney problems or diabetes that may affect anaesthesia.

The patient then receives a ‘pre-med’, a combination of sedative, pain relief and sometimes antibiotics, in order to calm and settle them. This takes a little while to take effect, during which time we prepare the operating theatre, X-ray suite, anaesthetic system equipment and / or other equipment as required.

During the operation, your pet is continuously monitored by qualified nurses, who maintain a chart of their vital signs and make use of support equipment as necessary. Following the operation, the pet goes back to a comfortable cage for recovery where the monitoring continues and medication such as pain relief can be administered where needed.
When it’s time to go home, our nurses will take you through the procedure and show you any test results; they will explain the aftercare required and where appropriate, we will provide pain relief medicine and a special recovery diet for you to take away.

We usually arrange a check up appointment after the operation, to make sure everything is going according to plan and all wounds are healing well.

Please remember; if you are at all worried about any aspect of your pet’s treatment, before or after the procedure please don’t hesitate to pick up the phone. We are happy to help answer any queries, however large or small.

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