Pre-operative information

Pre-Surgery Checklist

1. Fasting Instructions
   
   Dogs & Cats:
   • We advise no access to food after midnight the day before the surgery. Generally, this means take away all food when you go to bed the night before. This helps prevent vomiting during anesthesia, which can lead to complications.
   • Water should still be available at all times unless otherwise instructed.

   Small Animals (Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, etc.)

   • These animals should not fast. Continue feeding them as usual before the procedure. Please bring along some of their regular food as well with you on the day of admission.

2. Medications
   • If your pet is on any medications, please inform us during your pre-surgery consultation.
   • Some medications need to be stopped prior to surgery, while others can be continued. We will provide specific instructions based on your pet’s needs.

3. Bathing & Grooming
   • If possible, give your pet a bath or have them groomed 1-2 days before surgery. This helps minimize the risk of infection by reducing the bacteria on their skin.
   • Do not let your pet swim the morning of surgery.
   • The cleaner your pet, the lower the risk of infection
   • Pet’s will also not be able to be bathed for 10-14 days after surgery

4. Exercise & Bathroom Breaks
   • Make sure your pet gets some light exercise and has a bathroom break on the morning of the surgery.
   • Dogs should be walked, and cats should have access to a litter box. This will help reduce stress and ensure comfort after the procedure.

1. Arrival Time
   • Please arrive at the clinic at your scheduled time. Admissions generally take around 10 minutes and allow us to go through the consent forms and answer any questions you may have regarding the procedure or anaesthetic.

2. Comfort Items
   • It is absolutely fine if you want to bring along any familiar items that may help your pet feel more comfortable, such as a blanket or favourite toy.

3. Pre-Surgical Testing
   • We will perform some pre-anaestheitc blood work to evaluate your pet’s organ health before anesthesia (if this testing hasn’t been performed recently). We do this for all general anaesthetics and even for some sedations if deemed necessary. This will usually be visible on your estimate and is included with all desexings.

4. Communication
   • During the admission process we will ask for your best contact information, including your cell phone number, in case we need to reach you during the surgery and for arranging discharge times.
   • Please provide an email address for us to send post-operative information and any certificates as needed.

1. Post-Operative Care Instructions
   • You will receive detailed instructions on how to care for your pet after surgery, including medication guidelines, activity restrictions, and tips for monitoring the incision site.

2. Discharge Time
   • We will call or message you when your pet is ready to go home. Most pets will go home the same day but the time of discharge will vary depending on how fast they are recovering, comfort levels and when in the day they had their procedure.
   • Each day we have a procedure ‘list’ with the order we are expecting to perform each patient. This order can change though depending on emergencies and other factors, as such we aren’t able to provide a precise discharge time when pets are admitted in the morning.

3. Comfort & Monitoring
   • Your pet may be drowsy after the surgery due to the anesthesia. Provide them with a quiet, comfortable space to rest and ensure they are not disturbed by other pets or young children.
   • Most animals will require a level of confinement for a period of time depending on the surgery. This may be a crate or laundry, small room etc… Consider the best way you can achieve this before the day of surgery to avoid stress on yourself and your pet when you get home. This may be setting up a small playpen, buying a crate or setting up a room, whatever works best for your home and situation.

4. Follow-Up Appointments
   • We will schedule a follow-up appointment to check on your pet’s recovery and remove stitches if necessary.

Emergency Contact: In case of any complications after surgery, contact our clinic immediately or if after hours visit the nearest emergency vet. The nearest 24hr emergency centres are Animal Referral Hospital (9379 0700), Bundoora Vet Hospital (9467 2255) and Advanced Vetcare (9092 0400)

We look forward to providing the best possible care for your beloved pet and ensuring a smooth recovery!