It is important for you to know that not all veterinary hospitals approach surgery in the same way. At Fairmont Animal Hospital we strive to offer your pet the highest quality care available. Advancements in veterinary medicine allow us to offer your pet many options that help minimize the risk of surgery. Keeping your pet safe is our foremost concern. With that in mind our surgical procedures offer your pet the following procedures – pre-anaesthetic testing (blood work), full anaesthetic monitoring, pain management, body temperature control and access to the safest forms of gas anaesthesia. We only book a few procedures per surgical day; this allows us to fully concentrate on your pet’s surgical procedure as well as thoroughly monitoring their recovery.
Arrival
When we admit your pet into our hospital for surgery, several steps are completed prior to the actual surgical procedure.
- The attending veterinarian does a thorough physical examination to determine if there are any current issues that would prevent us from proceeding with the scheduled surgery
- Blood can then be drawn for a pre anaesthetic screening. This blood test is performed in hospital using specialized diagnostic equipment. This blood screen gives us an in depth look at major organ function which would show us any hidden diseases or concerns that would prevent us from proceeding with surgery at this time.
Induction
- One of our registered veterinary technicians will place an intravenous catheter to give your pet a pre anaesthetic mixture that induces relaxation, causes sedation and also includes pain control medications.
- Once your pet is relaxed a short acting drug is given which causes your pet to fall asleep – so that a tracheal (breathing) tube can be placed; this tube is used to administer the oxygen and Isoflurane gas during the surgery.
- Isoflurane gas anaesthetic is also used in human hospitals and is one of the safest anaesthetics on the market today.
Surgery
- Surgery is now ready to begin
- Body temperature is closely monitored as patients undergoing anaesthesia cannot regulate their body temperature. We make use of a ‘Baer Hugger’ which is a blanket that circulates warm air around the surgical patient which helps ensure their body temperature remains constant.
- Full anaesthetic monitoring including IV fluids and blood pressure monitoring are provided throughout your pets’ surgery. This permits us to adjust anaesthesia accordingly and allows us to notice if any problems should occur that would require immediate attention.
Recovery
- Warm blankets, heating packs and constant monitoring are provided to keep your pet safe and comfortable: at this time additional pain medications are introduced to prevent any unwanted pain or discomfort.
- Your pet continues to be monitored by our trained staff during this recovery period. Your pet is usually discharged into your care later the same day.
- Pain medication will be provided so you can maintain comfort levels at home.
Written by Fairmont Animal Hospital