What do I need to think about the night before surgery?
The night before surgery your pet must be fasted at least 12 hours prior to admission for surgery or as indicated by your veterinarian. (Pocket pets being the exception, see below). For your pets safety and well being this is very important and we ask all family members to make an extra effort to ensure food is not available to your pet. Your pet may have access to drinking water up until the time of admission to hospital.
Surgical patients are admitted between 7.30am and 8.30am on weekdays unless there are special circumstances or you have an appointment with the veterinarian for your pet to be examined prior to admission.
When you first arrive at the hospital we will ask you to assist us in completing an admission form which includes contact phone numbers, as well as relevant information about your pet. If your pet has recently been ill, and we are not aware of it, we also request that you share this information with us. This is also a good time for you to ask any questions if you are not clear on any aspect of the procedure.
Depending on the type of surgery being undertaken you may also need to see one of our veterinarians to review and share information about your pet’s health.
Finally, you are welcome and encouraged to accompany our nurse to the hospital ward where your pet will be staying, to help settle him/her into their quarters.
If you have any further questions regarding fasting times for your pet, don’t hesitate to contact your local vet. We’re always looking in the best interest of your family pet.
Now we don’t expect you to meet with a perfect 6-8 hours, it’s okay if they have been fasted too soon or too late. If they’ve fasted too late, make sure you notify someone so we can adjust surgery time for that day, so they can have the proper fasting period. If they have fasted too soon, that is also alright. We can give them ½ – 1 tablespoon of food prior, so they at least have that coating in the stomach to ensure a smooth surgical experience.
Before recent research, 12 hours was the appropriate time to fast your pet. Now, guidelines are aimed towards 6-8 hours before surgery. This pre-op fasting time is much more beneficial for your pets because you have enough food in there to neutralize the stomach acid, preventing it from coming up the esophagus that causes regurgitation under anesthetic.
Usually when you’re considering booking surgery for your pet, planned or not, we like to make sure that they have fasted appropriately beforehand, so we can avoid simple complications. With the use of some drugs and anesthesia to get your pet ready for surgery, vomiting could be a factor, and we like to avoid that by making sure an exact fasting period is followed. With your pet being under anesthesia, they are moved around quite a bit, to either x-ray for rads or from the treatment table over to the surgery table. With a lot of moving around and no fasting guideline followed, your pet could be at risk for vomiting food up and possibly aspirating (food going into the lungs).
Why do we starve pets before surgery?
When your beloved pet is booked in to have a surgical procedure the following day, the anaesthetic protocol starts with you at home, by following the fasting instructions!
The overall goal with fasting patients is to reduce the volume of stomach contents to prevent gastroesophageal reflux (GER) (regurgitation of stomach contents) and aspiration (inhalation of stomach contents) (Robertson, 2018). Preventing inhalation of stomach contents whilst under anaesthesia is vitally important. If stomach contents are inhaled under anaesthesia, this can lead to pneumonia and even sometimes death.
Spay/Neuter Patient Care: Patient Prep – Canine
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?
Your veterinarian will provide you with instructions, but the process can still feel overwhelming. We’ve broken down the basics to help you plan ahead as much as possible.
One whole week before your dog’s surgery may seem a little early to start thinking about preparation, but your veterinarian might require additional tests that need to be done before your canine companion goes under general anesthesia. These tests could include blood work, radiographs, ultrasounds, and other diagnostics that are vital to the success of your dog’s surgery — and his health. Make sure to ask your veterinarian if this is the right time for updated vaccines. Some veterinarians may not want to vaccinate depending on the condition and medical history of your dog.
It’s also a good time to figure out how you are going to get your dog to and from the veterinary hospital for surgery. Additionally, if your dog goes to a groomer, or if you bathe him regularly, consider doing it a few days prior to the surgery, as you will be instructed to keep the incision dry following his procedure.
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:
The night before is also a good time to prepare your home for the next day. Make sure you have an area in your house ready for your dog’s recovery. This could mean separating your dog from other pets, getting his crate set up, and making sure any medications and food required to meet special dietary needs are packed and ready to go to the veterinarian with him. You might also want to wash your dog’s bedding to help lower the risk of infection.
The most important thing you can do the morning of your dog’s surgery is make sure he does not have access to food or water. Eating and drinking could cause your dog to aspirate during anesthesia, which is potentially life-threatening.
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 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.
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).
Following your veterinarian’s instructions exactly will help your dog make a full recovery. Watch for any signs of discomfort or unusual behavior, prevent him from irritating the area of the incision, and call your veterinarian or the closest emergency veterinary hospital if you have any concerns.
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