The I.V. catheter is placed prior to anesthetizing your pet. If your pet has any problems under anesthesia, we can use the I.V. catheter to administer emergency drugs and/or fluids. In case of an emergency, we will administer emergency drugs immediately. However, if a catheter is already in place, we would have a direct line to the vein, not having to try, while blood pressure is low, to set a catheter. Time is of the essence in an emergency situation and having an I.V. Catheter in place prior to any emergency is a time saver and highly recommended.

There are many things that can go wrong with our pets that we cannot evaluate with just a physical exam. Kidney and liver tests are recommended prior to administering anesthesia. This blood work can be done before surgery. If there are any problems, we would immediately contact you to discuss administering anesthesia and continuing with the procedure. The procedure may not be a good medical decision at this time.

Research has shown that pets recover easier and quicker after surgery if they have pain medication during the first few days after surgery. We offer pain medication for every procedure. The doctor can talk with you more regarding this when you bring your pet in for surgery.

All of our surgeries are scheduled for Monday through Friday mornings. We will schedule the appointment with you. You will need to withhold food after 9:00 pm the night before surgery. You should allow your pet water. We have all surgery appointments come in between 7:30 am & 8:00 am. We do NOT take drop-offs. All surgery patients will be seen in the room by a technician and a doctor. The technician will go over all the paperwork and surgery estimates for your pet’s procedure and have you sign all consent forms. The doctor will come in and perform a brief general exam, asking you questions, answering your questions, and describe the procedure. Then we will take your pet to the surgery room. We will call you after your pet awakens from surgery to let you know how they are doing and what time to pick up your pet. We generally send pets home between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm.