What to Expect Before, During, and After your Pet’s Procedure

We are looking forward to seeing you soon! Here are some tips for you before you arrive.

If you cannot make your appointment at your scheduled time, please call us 24 hours in advance so we can reschedule you to a more appropriate time.

To ensure all patients can be seen in a timely manner, if you arrive late to your appointment, you may be asked to reschedule. Thank you for your understanding.

Did you know you can stay with your pet during their surgery? Ask us for more details!

Here is what to expect the day of the procedure.

Before Surgery

• Pre-operative examination

  • The doctor does a brief physical examination on your pet to determine if there are any changes from the last visit that would indicate an issue with proceeding with surgery.

• Vaccines

  • Rabies and FVRCP vaccines are required for this procedure. We recommend getting them done 2 weeks prior to your pet’s procedure, but can do them the same day if necessary.

• Preanesthetic Bloodwork

  • These tests may reveal underlying disease of liver, kidney, or blood, which can increase risk of anesthetic complications. Required if over 25 months old and no labwork performed within 6 months.

• Pain/Sedation injection

  • A Cerenia injection and pre-medication is given to help with organ pain, nausea, and to give sedation to help calm your pet.

• Fluids

  • Intravenous fluid therapy (and subcutaneous fluid therapy for feline neuters) helps to maintain stable blood pressure during anesthesia and protect blood flow to the vital organs. Fluid therapy also helps in the elimination of anesthetic drugs after anesthesia is complete. All patients going under anesthesia are required to have fluids.

• Shave prep

  • Your pet will have their surgical area shaved and prepped to help eliminate contamination.

• Fleas

  • In the unlikely event your pet has fleas discovered on them, we must administer a 24 hour flea medication (Capstar) to kill the fleas to prevent them from jumping into the surgical incision and causing an infection. The cost of the medication is approximately $7.00.

During Surgery

• Anesthesia

  • We use Isoflurane anesthetic gas mixed with oxygen

• Surgical monitoring by a designated anesthetist

  • In addition to machine monitoring, our nurses check their vitals every 5 minutes.

• Surgical procedure

  • Your doctor will be removing your pet’s sex organs and surgically closing up the wound with internal suture material. Usually there are no external sutures needed.

• Tattoo

  • Optional. Tattoos tell future veterinary professionals that yes, the animal has been sterilized, since scars can fade over time, and future situations may call for your pet to be with new owners. This tattoo is a 1 cm long green line that will be beside the spay/neuter incision. It can help prevent unnecessary surgical procedures "looking" for the reproductive organs. There is no charge for this.

• Microchip

  • Optional. Procedure can be performed at any time. We prefer to administer it to your pet while they are under anesthesia so they are not uncomfortable. Also includes registration for the year.

After Surgery

• Post-operative cold laser therapy (Does not apply for low cost or rescue surgeries)

  • Post anesthesia, your pet will be treated with a cold laser to help relieve inflammation and pain associated with their procedure. Learn more about laser treatment!

• Post-operative recovery monitoring

  • Your surgical nurse will still be monitoring your pet after surgery in addition to keeping them on fluids for a little while afterward. At this time, the nurse will also give your pet a complimentary nail trim. Once your pet is swallowing, their endotracheal tube is removed and watched for a little while until they are awake long enough to recover on their own. If you want to help recover your pet, let us know!

Homecare

• Oral pain medications to go home

  • An injectable pain medication may have been administered, but we also send home oral pain meds for the next few days. Be sure to follow instructions.

• Elizabethan collar

  • Required to prevent licking/chewing/pawing at incision sites. Helps prevent infection. We have different varieties!

• Hill’s Prescription I/D Food

  • Optional. This food is recommended to help relieve gastrointestinal-related stress during the first few days of recovery.

• Take-Home Sedative

  • Optional. If your pet is going to need a sedative for the first few days after surgery to keep them calm while in recovery, please let us know.

• You will receive a home care instruction sheet at time of discharge that is specific to your pet’s procedure. Here are some signs you may see in the 24 hours following the surgery:

  • Your pet may be sleepy, hyperactive, or vocal depending on how they respond to the anesthetic and pain medications they were given. Keeping them in a quiet room, away from other pets and loud noises, can dramatically help them recover with less stress.

  • They may need to urinate frequently throughout the night due to the fluids it had. This is normal and should not be concerning.

  • They may not have a bowel movement for 24-48 hours. If over 72 hours, please let us know.

  • Water may be introduced as soon as you get home.

  • If they have an IV bandage, that can be removed an hour after you get home.

  • Food can be introduced around 8pm; try giving a small amount at a time. If they are uninterested in eating tonight, that is ok! Feed like normal the next day.

  • Signs of pain are trembling, panting, and unable to get comfortable.

  • You will be unable to bathe your pet for 7 days. The incision needs to stay clean and dry.

  • The Elizabethan collar needs to stay on your pet while in recovery for 7 to 10 days to prevent them from licking the incision and causing an infection.

  • Try to limit activity; i.e. running, jumping, rough play during the 7 to 10 days of recovery. The more activity they do, the more inflammation and irritation the incision may experience.