Surgery

Surgery is part of the day-to-day routine in our practice. We can undertake a large range of different operations ranging from routine neutering, through to complex orthopaedic (bone) surgery.

What's involved?

If your pet is coming in for surgery we will ask you to starve them from 10pm the night before (unless it's a small furry animal such as a rabbit) to reduce the risk of them being sick under the anaesthetic. They can have water up until the time they are admitted into the practice. Patients are usually admitted between 8.30-9.30am on the day of surgery. If you will struggle to do this other options can be made on an individual basis but this needs to be agreed by the vet.

When we admit your pet we will ask you to sign a consent form and go through the details of the procedure with you so you understand what is going to be done. If we have not seen your pet before/recently the vet may also need to examine them before admitting them into the practice. Once admitted your pet will be placed in their own individual kennel with everything they need.

For safety, all cat and dog anaesthetic patients have an intravenous catheter placed prior to their procedure to ensure that immediate access for drugs is available should anything unexpected happen.  Whether there is a full GA or sedation, all pets are monitored throughout their procedure by registered, qualified nurses who utilise various monitoring tools appropriate for the procedure.

After surgery, your pet is transferred to a dedicated recovery nurse who observes their recovery until you are reunited. During the recovery we monitor all vital signs and offer light food as soon as your pet is able to eat. We have heat controlled blankets, as anaesthetics can often result in a low body temperature. By using these measures and by giving effective pain relief, we are able to discharge patients the same day, other than in exceptional circumstances. 

When you collect your pet, a nurse will explain the discharge sheet to you so you understand what has happened and what after-care is needed.

Our aim is to keep you fully informed and to keep the patients as comfortable and relaxed as possible during their stay with us.