Surgical Frequently Asked Questions

It is common to have questions and concerns about your pet's upcoming surgery, here is some information we hope will put you and your family at ease....

What can you tell me about my pet and anesthesia?

Here at Three Village Veterinary Hospital, while our doctors are performing surgery on our patients, our technicians are monitoring their vital signs.  They also employ electronically advanced equipment and cardiac monitors to better ensure the safety of your pet during surgery. We do a thorough physical examinations on your pet before administering anesthetics, and always suggest pre-anesthetic blood work, to ensure that your pet can more safely undergo anesthesia.  We treat every case individually and adjust the amount and type of anesthetic used depending on the health of your pet.  If you find you have more questions regarding anesthesia, please don't hesitate to speak with one of our doctors who can answer any of your questions or you can ask for our anesthetic handout, too.

Pre-anesthetic blood testing is important in reducing the risk of anesthesia.  Every pet needs a pre-surgical examination and may be required to have blood levels checked before surgery to ensure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthetic.  Though your pet may seem healthy, animals can have serious internal problems that cannot be detected without blood testing.  We at Three Village Veterinary Hospital want to detect any possible problems before it can cause anesthetic or surgical complications.  Pre-anesthetic blood testing should be performed prior to scheduled surgery.  If serious problems are detected, it allows time to correct and postpone the surgical procedure until the problem is corrected.

Our doctors will go over which types of blood testing are available and suggest the test that is right for your pet.  In most cases, the doctors prefer a more comprehensive blood screening, because it provides the most information to ensure the safety of your pet.  For senior or ill pets, additional tests may be required on a case-by-case basis.

Do I need to fast my pet prior to surgery?

Yes, we do ask that a pet is fasted before surgery.  Like humans, anesthesia can cause nausea and it is important that surgery be performed on an empty stomach to reduce the risk of vomiting during and after anesthesia.  You will need to withhold food and water for at least 8 to 10 hours before surgery, generally we advise no food or water after 12 midnight the evening before surgery. If extreme thirst persists a few laps of water is okay but the water dish should not to be left available for pet. 

Will my pet have sutures ("stitches")?  

We generally use self disolving sutures, a plastic surgery technique, where the sutures are underneath the skin.  These will dissolve on their own, and do not need to be removed later.  However some surgeries, especially lump removals, do require the type of sutures which require another visit in 10-14 days after surgery to have them removed.  Either way, you will need to keep an eye on the incision for swelling or discharge.  Most pets do not lick excessively or chew at the incision, but this is an occasional problem you will also need to watch for.  If your pet is a "licker," we may send you home with an Elizabethan Collar or "cone" collar.  You will also need to limit your pet's activities and refrain from bathing your pet for the first 10 days after surgery, to better ensure your pets health.

Will my pet be in pain?

Pet are highly resilient and may not show the same symptoms of pain as people do; they usually don't whine or cry, but they may feel slight to moderate pain.  Sending home pain medications will depend on the surgery performed.  Major procedures require more pain relief than things such as minor lacerations.

For dogs, on a case-by-case basis, we may recommend an oral analgesic the day after surgery and several days after to lessen the risk of discomfort and swelling as well as some antibiotics to prevent infection. 

Cats do not tolerate standard pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or Tylenol, and we are limited in what we can give them.  We may administer a pain injection 10 minutes prior to surgery or place a narcotic "pain patch" one day prior to surgery depending on the extent of the procedure to help ease you cat's discomfort level.  After surgery, pain medication is given on a case-by-case basis. 

We use narcotic patches for some surgeries in dogs as well.  Injectable pain medications may also be used after surgery on both dogs and cats.  Providing whatever pain relief is appropriate for your pet.

What other decisions do I need to make?

It is ideal to put your pet under anesthesia a minimal amount of times as possible.  So, while your pet is under anesthesia, it is the ideal time to consider other minor procedures, such as dentistry, ear cleaning, or implanting an identification microchip.  Feel free to discuss these procedures with your pet's doctor.

You will check in with a doctor when you bring your pet in for surgery. It can take about 15 to 20 minutes to go over the procedure.  Please ask any remaining questions and make decisions blood screening and other options available at this time.  Lastly, we ask you to sign in your pet with the front desk and fill out any paperwork they may have for you.  When you pick up your pet after surgery, plan on spending about 15 minutes to go over your pet's home care needs.

Please remember that we will call you the business day before your scheduled surgery appointment to confirm your drop-off time and remind you that you must fast your pet as stated above.  In the meantime, please do not hesitate to call us with any questions about your pet's health or surgery.