Pets scheduled for diagnostic or surgical procedures should be dropped off at the Park Pet Hospital between 7:30 and 8:00 AM. Unless instructed otherwise, they should be fasted overnight, which means no food after 8:00 PM the night before and no water after midnight. If your pet is on any medication or is receiving insulin, you should ask a staff member about any specific instructions.
In most instances, clients will be provided with a printed estimate of the anticipated charges and will need to sign an informed consent statement that gives authorization to perform the services listed. The clients will also need to choose whether pre-anesthetic blood testing is to be done, if it has not already been completed.
Many clients like to call later in the morning to find out how their pet is doing, and a staff member will be glad to update you on your pet's status. Visitation of pets by family members is encouraged for pets that will have an extended hospitalization; however, we ask that you give us advance notice so that the visits are not disruptive to normal hospital activities.
ANESTHETIC SAFETY AND PATIENT MONITORING
Anesthetic safety is of paramount concern to us at the Park Pet Hospital. Our hospital staff is thoroughly trained in administering both injectable and gas anesthetics, and every anesthetized patient is constantly monitored by a dedicated veterinary assistant or technician.
In most cases, the risks of anesthesia are far outweighed by the benefits of the diagnostic procedure or surgery that is performed. While the risk of anesthesia can never be construed as being negligible, the risk may be minimized, even in elderly or critically ill patients, by following certain guidelines.
Pet owners should adhere to any pre-surgical instructions given to them. Pre-anesthetic examination and laboratory evaluation should be performed as indicated by the patient's condition. This evaluation might include blood tests, clotting ability, radiographs (x-rays), electrocardiograms, and blood pressure profiling.
During anesthesia, patient monitoring is vital, and some pets may require intravenous fluids, supportive drug therapy, and assisted breathing. Anesthetic monitoring devices utilized at the Park Pet Hospital include pulse oximetry, capnography, blood pressure, electrocardiography, and esophageal cardiopulmonary audio monitoring. Temperature support and pain medications are administered as needed.
Recovery from anesthesia is also monitored closely, and most pets have an uneventful and speedy recovery. Vomiting occurs occasionally, and some pets will have a tendency to cough after being intubated during the anesthesia.
Water is usually offered within a few hours of anesthetic recovery, and feeding instructions typically recommend giving small amounts of food initially and then gradually increasing the amount. Any special feeding instructions should be discussed with a hospital staff member.
After a pet has had surgery, it is important for the owner to monitor the incision site daily. Please call our office right away if any significant swelling, discharge or tenderness is noted.
Some pets will lick at their surgery site, which could lead to infection or separation of the edges of the incision. In order to discourage licking, a bandage may be applied, a plastic cone-shaped (Elizabethan) collar may be placed, or deterrent sprays such as Bitter Apple™ may be used. In extreme cases, tranquilization might need to be prescribed during the post-operative period.
If a bandage has been applied, it should be kept dry and intact. When taking your pet outside in the snow or rain, temporarily place a plastic bag or plastic wrap around the entire bandage and secure it with a Velcro strap or with tape. Once back inside, the plastic must be removed in order for air to penetrate through the bandage material. Moist skin infections can form underneath bandages if they get wet. If the bandage is slightly damp, you can try using a blow-dryer at a low-heat setting to dry it off, but if it's very wet, you should schedule a bandage change. If the bandage has slipped from its original position or has been chewed on and is tattered, please call to schedule a bandage recheck appointment.
If your pet appears to be in pain after having had surgery, please contact us immediately. In most cases, if substantial pain was anticipated post-surgically, then your doctor would have discussed this with you or prescribed pain relief medication.