Pre Op Information - Cats & Dogs
We appreciate that leaving your pet at the practice for surgery can be a worrying experience. If you have any concerns about your pet’s health and well-being prior to the procedure please do not hesitate to speak to a member of staff. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.
Pre-anaesthetic Instructions
If your pet is having a general anaesthetic or sedation please do not give them any food after 8pm the night before. This is important as it minimises the risk of vomiting during anaesthesia. Water can be left down until they are brought to the surgery.
Where possible please give your pet the opportunity to go to the toilet before coming to the surgery.
Admit Appointment: On the day of the surgery your pet will have an admit appointment and the veterinary surgeon or nurse will run through the procedure with you. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have. You will be asked to read and sign a consent form before leaving your pet with us and we ask that you provide up to date contact details so that we may reach you in the event of an emergency.
Pre-anaesthetic Blood Testing
Please be aware that all anaesthetics do involve some risk. By the use of up to date anaesthetic techniques, drugs and monitoring we try to keep the risk to a minimum. In order to reduce any risk further we strongly recommend a pre-anaesthetic blood test. Blood chemistry tests can evaluate the status of your pet’s major organs and detect conditions not physically apparent but which can lead to complications. It is especially important to know if the liver and kidneys are functioning correctly because these organs process and remove the body of anaesthetic agents. We may need to adjust the dose or type of anaesthetic if the results reveal a problem. These tests become part of your pet’s medical record, providing a baseline for future reference and can help to uncover illness before outward signs appear. Please indicate if you would like a pre-anaesthetic blood test performed on the consent form on admit.
The cost of the Pre-Anaesthetic Blood Test is £50.00
Fluid Therapy
We Strongly advise the use of intravenous fluid. This involves a catheter being inserted into a vein and a calculated amount of fluid given. This procedure maintains the blood pressure, prevents dehydration and flushes the kidneys and other internal organs of anaesthetic leading to a faster recovery period. It also allows for easy access for drugs if needed in an emergency. Please indicate if you would like to have fluid therapy on the consent form on admit.
The cost of Fluid Therapy is £50.00
Discharge Information
Most surgical cases are discharged on the same day. There may be occasions however, when we feel it is necessary to keep a patient hospitalised for further treatment and observations. We will ask you to contact the surgery later in the day for an update and to arrange a time to collect your pet. Please note all fees will be due for payment at the time of discharge.