Your pet's safety and comfort is our primary concern during surgical procedures. We take the extra steps to provide exceptional care before, during and after surgery.
First, prior to surgery we run a comprehensive blood panel. The testing provides us with answers such as liver and kidney function, complete blood count, electrolyte balance and chemistry levels.
Because pets cannot describe symptoms or speak up that something is wrong, we screen for any existing problems. Risk factors include age, physical condition and organ health. By performing blood screening panels the anesthetic risk is greatly reduced.
Then the veterinarian performing surgery will complete a head to tail physical exam and obtain baseline vitals. Two pre-surgical injections are given - one is an anti-naseau and the other is for pain relief. We place an intravenous catheter for surgical patients so that we can administer fluids during the procedure.
Placing an IV catheter and fluid therapy is important because it provides direct access to administer medications, and provide a quick response in emergencies. Fluid therapy has been shown to help maintain blood pressure and hydration. Also, it aides in the support of geriatic or ill patients during anesthesia.
Next, your pet is safely placed under anesthesia and hooked up to our vital monitoring system. A licensed veterinary nurse monitors your pet throughout the entire surgery and recovery process. We monitor your pet's blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, CO2 level, and ECG.
After surgery, your pet is positioned comfortably with our warming machine and plenty of blankets. One of our licensed veterinary nurses will continue to monitor your pet's vitals during the recovery period as well as sitting with your pet so they don't wake up scared.
When you pick your pet up from surgery, the veterinarian or nurse will go over the discharge instructions and medications.