My Pet Is Having Surgery
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SURGERY AT GREENCROSS VETS
At ‘Greencross' we understand and value the bond between you and your pet and are committed to providing the best in veterinary medicine. For this reason each of our clinics adhere to our standards of care policy, so your pet receives optimal treatment. Surgery at a Greencross clinic includes the following key standards of care.
FLUID THERAPY
Every pet undergoing a surgical procedure at Greencross Vets will be given intravenous fluids. This will help your pet's liver and kidneys flush out anaesthetics and maintain better blood pressure during surgery. This means a safer anaesthetic and your pet will recover faster.
PAIN RELIEF
Pain relief is provided to all pets (unless specified by your veterinarian). We also provide take home medication so your pet can continue to recover comfortably at home.
TAILORED ANAESTHESIA
Your veterinarian will tailor an individual anaesthetic program for your pet, based on their age, breed, and current health status. We also use specialised equipment to monitor your pet during surgery.
STERILE SURGERY AND DEDICATED THEATRE
Just as in human surgery, the Greencross surgical team wear scrub suits or gowns for major surgery. Instruments are sterilised in an autoclave and we have a dedicated surgical theatre.
BEFORE AND AFTER SURGERY MONITORING
The Greencross dedicated nursing team will monitor your pet before, during and after surgery.
WHAT YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE DAY BEFORE SURGERY?
The most important thing to remember is to restrict your pet from eating after 8pm the night before surgery. You can leave their water bowl out until early the next morning, at which time you will need to remove it.
BATHING
Your pet will not be able to have a bath for at least 12 days after sterile surgery, therefore if your pet requires bathing we recommend that it be done prior to the day of surgery.
UP TO DATE VACCINATIONS
For the protection of all patients, all visiting pets must be vaccinated. We only accept unvaccinated pets in an emergency and for complete peace of mind they are hospitalized separately in our isolation ward where there is no risk to others.
TIME TO MICROCHIP?
Microchipping is a non-invasive, safe way of identifying your pet for life should they become lost. For the comfort of your pet, now is a great ti me to consider microchipping.
ABOUT ANAESTHETICS
As in human medicine, the anaesthetics available for companion pets are extremely safe. As a result the risk is greatly minimised when a "healthy" pet is placed under
anaestheti c. However if your pet is not "healthy", complications may occur both during and after a surgical procedure. Unlike humans, pets cannot tell us when they feel unwell. Due to their natural instinct to protect themselves, they often "hide" their illness.
To better assess your pet's overall health, it is necessary to perform a blood test prior to anaesthesia. This is a laboratory test that examines your pet's major organs such as the ability of the liver and kidney to rid the body of drugs and medications. It also identifies abnormalities in blood cells such as the ability to carry oxygen, fight infection and clot.
If the test results are within normal ranges, we can proceed with confidence. On the other hand, if the results are not within the normal ranges, we may alter the anaesthetic
procedure or in some cases, postpone the procedure in order to monitor and medically treat your pet.
Pets over 8 years of age or high risk surgical procedures need detailed pre-anaesthetic blood testing and pre and post operative fluids.
ARRIVING AT THE HOSPITAL
When you first arrive at the hospital we will ask you to assist us in completing an admission form which includes contact phone numbers, as well as relevant information
about your pet. If your pet has recently been ill, and we are not aware of it, we also request that you share this information with us.
Depending on the type of surgery being undertaken you may also need to see one of our veterinarians to review and share information about your pet's health. If you think your
pet may lick or chew at their wound, it is a good time to discuss this with our nurses.
We may recommend an Elizabethan collar to assist during recovery.
Finally, you are welcome to accompany our nurse to the hospital ward where your pet will be staying, to help settle him/her into their quarters.
WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR PET IN THE HOSPITAL?
Once your pet has been admitted, we will perform a health check up and administer a sedative, this will help your pet to relax. Just like us, they too get anxious prior to surgery.
An anaesthetic agent will be administered and an attending veterinary nurse will constantly monitor your pet's vital signs right through to recovery. It may be necessary to clip your pet's hair around the surgery area for optimum surgical conditions. After the
surgery your pet will recover on a hygienic, dry, warm and fluff y bed. We treat your pets as if they are our own, and not only will our veterinary nurse continue to monitor recovery they will also give your pet the attention (and cuddles of course) they deserve.
YOUR DAY
We are oft en asked whether or not a pet parent should stay at home to care for a pet after surgery, particularly for routine surgery such as desexing. Generally pets make
a speedy recovery after routine surgery. For this reason staying at home with them is not necessary as long as they have somewhere warm and comfortable to stay. However,
if you are considering making special plans to be with your pet, we suggest you take the day off after surgery rather than the day of surgery.
PICKING YOUR PET UP
Our veterinary nurse or veterinarian will explain how to take care of your friend at home, and provide you with a supplementary leaflet on providing the best care.