Pre-Operative Information
This pre-anaesthetic information is intended to answer any questions you may have before your pet undergoes an anaesthetic, surgical or dental procedure. We ask that you download PetsApp in advance to allow us to stay in touch.
Fear Free
As a Fear Free practice, we believe that doing everything possible to reduce fear, anxiety and stress (FAS) in your pet before and during the visit not only makes the procedure less unpleasant for you, your pet and our team but also safer with lower incidences of complications during and after the procedure.
There are a number of different medications available to be given at home before the visit, which can aid in reducing FAS and if you would like any further information on this or anything else Fear Free, please let us know. We routinely use Pet Remedy wipes, available free of charge in reception, that can help to ensure your pet remains as calm as possible.
Please help us by completing the pre-visit questionnaire, available on our website:
Fear Free – Taking the “pet” out of “petrified” and if you feel your pet may become anxious waiting in reception, then please let us know when you arrive whilst they wait in the car or outside the clinic.
Please feel free to bring some of your pet’s favourite treats to give on recovery and perhaps an item that reminds them of home to help them relax. Some cats are fastidious about their choice of cat litter, so you are welcome to provide a small amount of this as well for the stay.
Fasting (water is ok) for dogs and cats only
Please take up your dog or cat’s food bowl before you go to bed so that no food can be eaten from 12 pm the night before. Although it is rare, regurgitation of food can occur while under anaesthesia, which can lead to serious illness and it is more likely if your pet has recently eaten a meal. If you need to administer a prescribed medication before you leave, then it is ok to give with a single small treat. We also use frozen treats for your pet to lick before their procedure, which provides pleasure without any risk of filling the stomach.
It is really important that if you have a rabbit, guinea pig or other small furry pet, please allow them to continue to eat as normal. If your pet hasn’t eaten in the morning, please let us know during the admit appointment as we may need to postpone the procedure.
Water is always ok and should not be withheld.
If you pet is diabetic, please discuss the best approach with your vet team in advance.
All cats should be kept in the night before surgery to ensure they don’t eat or run away and allow them to use a litter tray before they leave.
If possible, please encourage your dog to pass faeces or urinate prior to arrival for their own comfort.
You will be made an appointment with a nurse or vet in the morning of the procedure. If you have any questions, this is a good time to raise them and please allow at least 15 minutes for this consultation, when you will be asked to give written consent.
Overnight Care
Occasionally it is necessary for a pet to be hospitalised overnight if we are concerned that they are not well enough to go home. In this situation we would recommend transfer to the local out of hours service provider for monitoring as we do not have team members in the building overnight.
Following the procedure, we will monitor your pet carefully until they are fully recovered from anaesthesia and ready to go home.
Tooth Extractions
If your pet is having a dental procedure, there is always the possibility that they may have teeth which need to be extracted. Unfortunately, it is not unusual for the extent of the tooth damage to be hidden until they are examined under anaesthesia! Each tooth takes upto one hour to extract and surgically close the extraction site. Please let us know if you would like to be called prior to any unexpected extractions as we will routinely proceed in the best interest of your pet and aim to minimise anaesthetic time. Complications may arise following tooth extraction and please discuss these with our veterinary team if you have any concerns.
Pet Updates
We find that PetsApp is the best way to converse before, during and after your pet’s stay with us. It allows us to send you much more detailed information, updates and pictures and is really convenient. We aim to contact you when your pet’s procedure is completed and
they are in recovery, although if you haven’t heard from us by 2pm please let us know. You are welcome to contact us to check on your pet at any time during the day and please do your best to be available on the phone in case the vet needs to speak to you. We will always put the care of your pet first and in certain emergency situations will proceed even if we have been unable to contact you.
The physical and emotional well being of your pet is our primary focus; please let us know if there any way we can improve this and please ask if you have any questions.