Pet Surgeries & Concerned Pet Parents
Whether your pet is scheduled for a simple spay or neuter procedure or a more complex orthopedic surgery, you are bound to be nervous and want to do everything possible to ensure that your pets operation goes as smoothly as possible. Thats why weve compiled a list of some of the most common questions our Gaithersburg vets are asked by worried pet parents in the days leading up to their animals surgery.
How should I be preparing in the weeks before my pet’s surgery?
Before the day of your pets surgery, you will have one or more appointments with your vet. At these appointments, your vet will ask you a series of questions to get a good understanding of what health issues or injuries your pet has had in the past, any treatments currently being administered, and any behavioral concerns.
Your vet will also thoroughly examine your dog or cat to ensure that your pet is healthy enough to undergo their scheduled surgery.
If your pet is overweight, your veterinarian may recommend a weight-loss program before surgery. Carrying extra weight increases the risks associated with general anesthesia may make it difficult for your pet to move around after surgery and may lengthen recovery time.
Many veterinarians will have you drop your dog off at their office in the morning. This gives them time to do any additional testing, blood work, and catheter placement before the surgery, so make sure you get there on time. Double check that the front desk has an up-to-date contact number for you so that they can reach out with any updates.
Your veterinarian may prescribe restricted activity for your dog. This can be hard with energetic breeds, but is crucial for proper healing. Consider placing your dog in his crate, or talk to your veterinarian about a sedative. You will likely be told not to give your dog a bath or to get the incision wet for the first two weeks (or until the sutures come out).
Your veterinarian will give you detailed instructions about how to care for your dog after his surgery. Your dog will most likely need to take a few medications to help with pain and to reduce the risk of secondary infections, and if there is an incision, your veterinarian may send him home with an E-collar. Your pup might not like the “cone of shame,” but leaving the collar on until the incision has healed will reduce the risk of it reopening.
The night before surgery will be different for individual dogs, so you should discuss your pup’s case with your veterinarian. Ask the following questions if they’re not included in your discharge instructions:
Preparing your dog for surgery is stressful, whether it’s a dental cleaning or something more complex, like a hip replacement. There is a lot of information to remember. Is your dog allowed to eat? Are there any medications he needs to take? Is there additional testing that needs to be done before the surgery?