What You Need to Know Before Your Pet's Upcoming Surgery

If your pet has an upcoming surgery scheduled, it's natural to have questions and concerns. Whether it's a routine spay or neuter, a dental procedure, or something more complex, we understand that entrusting your beloved companion to our care for surgery can feel overwhelming. This guide is designed to answer the most common questions we receive about pet surgery and to help you understand the decisions you'll need to make to ensure your pet receives the safest, most comfortable surgical experience possible.

At Middle River Veterinary Hospital, we're committed to providing the highest standard of surgical care with compassion, transparency, and attention to detail. We want you to feel informed, prepared, and confident as your pet's surgery day approaches.

Is Anesthesia Safe for My Pet?

This is perhaps the most common question we hear from concerned pet owners, and it's an important one. The good news is that modern veterinary anesthesia is safer than ever before, thanks to significant advances in anesthetic medications, monitoring equipment, and our understanding of animal physiology.

Modern monitoring makes the difference: Today's sophisticated anesthetic monitoring equipment has revolutionized veterinary surgery safety. We continuously monitor your pet's vital signs throughout the entire procedure, including:

• Heart rate and rhythm (ECG)

• Blood pressure

• Oxygen saturation levels

• Respiratory rate

• Body temperature

This real-time monitoring allows us to detect and respond to any changes immediately, often before they become problematic.

Comprehensive pre-anesthetic evaluation: Here at Middle River Veterinary Hospital, we never take anesthesia lightly. Before administering any anesthetic agents, we perform a thorough physical examination of your pet. This helps us identify any issues such as fever, heart murmurs, respiratory problems, or other conditions that might affect anesthesia safety. Based on this examination and your pet's medical history, we carefully adjust both the amount and type of anesthetic used to suit your individual pet's needs.

Customized anesthetic protocols: Not all pets receive the same anesthetic protocol. We consider factors such as:

• Your pet's age, breed, and size

• Overall health status

• The type and duration of surgery planned

• Any pre-existing medical conditions

• Previous reactions to anesthesia, if applicable

This individualized approach ensures that each pet receives the safest possible anesthetic experience tailored to their specific circumstances.

The Critical Importance of Pre-Anesthetic Blood Testing

While a physical examination tells us a lot about your pet's health, it can't reveal everything. Many serious internal problems remain hidden without blood testing, and discovering these issues before surgery can literally be lifesaving.

Why blood testing matters: Pre-anesthetic blood work evaluates your pet's liver and kidney function, which is crucial because these organs are responsible for metabolizing and eliminating anesthetic drugs from the body. Even pets that appear perfectly healthy on the outside can have compromised organ function that puts them at higher risk during anesthesia. Problems that blood testing can detect include:

• Liver disease or dysfunction

• Kidney disease or failure

• Anemia or blood clotting disorders

• Diabetes

• Infections

• Electrolyte imbalances

• Dehydration

Early detection saves lives: Finding a problem before surgery gives us options. For minor organ dysfunction, we can often adjust the anesthetic protocol to accommodate the issue safely. If serious problems are detected, we can postpone surgery until the condition is treated and stabilized. This approach is far preferable to discovering a life-threatening problem in the middle of a surgical procedure.

Two levels of testing available: We offer two tiers of pre-anesthetic blood testing, which we'll discuss with you when you bring your pet in:

1. Basic panel: Suitable for young, healthy pets undergoing routine procedures. This screens the most critical organ functions and blood parameters.

2. Comprehensive panel: Required for older animals, pets with known health issues, or those undergoing more complex surgeries. This expanded testing provides the most complete picture of your pet's internal health and gives us maximum information to ensure safety.

The investment in pre-anesthetic blood work is small compared to the peace of mind it provides and the potential complications it can prevent.

Preparing Your Pet for Surgery: Fasting Requirements

One of the most important things you can do to ensure your pet's safety is to follow fasting instructions carefully.

Why fasting matters: It's critical that surgery be performed on an empty stomach to significantly reduce the risk of vomiting and aspiration (inhaling vomit into the lungs) during and after anesthesia. Aspiration is a serious, potentially life-threatening complication that is easily prevented by proper fasting.

Fasting guidelines:

• Food: Withhold all food for at least 8 to 10 hours before your pet's scheduled surgery time. For morning surgeries, this typically means no food after midnight the night before.

• Water: Water can remain available to your pet until the morning of surgery. Staying hydrated is important, and a small amount of water in the stomach doesn't pose the same aspiration risk as food.

• Medications: If your pet takes regular medications, ask us whether these should be given on the morning of surgery. Some medications need to continue, while others should be withheld.

Special considerations: If you have multiple pets in your household, you may need to separate them the night before surgery to ensure the surgical patient doesn't access another pet's food. For cats who are free-feeders, you'll need to pick up food bowls the night before.

What to Expect: Incisions and Sutures

The appearance and care of your pet's surgical incision will vary depending on the type of procedure performed.

Absorbable sutures: For many surgeries, we use absorbable sutures placed underneath the skin. These dissolvable stitches break down naturally over time as the incision heals, eliminating the need for a follow-up visit to remove them. You won't see these sutures because they're beneath the skin surface, and the skin itself is typically closed with surgical glue or a few external sutures.

Skin sutures: Some surgeries, particularly tumor removals, extensive wound repairs, or certain orthopedic procedures, require visible skin stitches or staples. If your pet has skin sutures, these will usually need to be removed 10 to 14 days after surgery. We'll schedule a suture removal appointment before you take your pet home.

Incision monitoring: After surgery, you'll play an important role in monitoring the incision site for potential complications. Contact us immediately if you notice:

• Excessive swelling, redness, or heat around the incision

• Discharge, especially if it's thick, discolored, or foul-smelling

• Bleeding from the incision

• Gaps or openings in the incision line

• Your pet showing signs of pain when the area is touched

Preventing interference: Some dogs and cats become fixated on their incisions and will lick, chew, or scratch at the surgical site. This interference can cause infections, open the incision, and significantly delay healing. If your pet shows this behavior, they'll need an Elizabethan collar (cone), inflatable collar, or surgical suit to prevent access to the incision. We'll send one home with you if we anticipate this being an issue, but contact us if problems develop after you get home.

Activity restrictions: Proper healing requires rest. Depending on the surgery, we'll provide specific instructions about limiting your pet's activity level. This typically means:

• No running, jumping, or rough play

• Leash walks only for dogs (no off-leash activity)

• Keeping cats confined to a small room or large crate

• No access to stairs, furniture, or high places (for some surgeries)

• Separation from other pets during initial recovery

Bathing restrictions: No baths, swimming, or water exposure are allowed for at least the first 10 days after surgery. Water can soften the incision, introduce bacteria, and interfere with healing. If your pet gets dirty, use a damp cloth to spot-clean areas away from the incision.

Pain Management: Our Commitment to Your Pet's Comfort

Pain management is not optional or an afterthought at our practice—it's an integral part of every surgical procedure and recovery plan.

Animals feel pain: Anything that causes pain in people can be expected to cause pain in animals. While pets may not express discomfort in the same ways humans do, they absolutely experience pain. The fact that they may suffer more quietly doesn't mean they're suffering less.

Recognizing pain in pets: Signs of pain in animals can be subtle and may include:

• Decreased appetite

• Reluctance to move or changes in posture

• Restlessness or inability to get comfortable

• Excessive panting or changes in breathing patterns

• Whining, crying, or vocalizing (though many pets remain quiet despite pain)

• Aggression or irritability, especially when touched

• Hiding or withdrawing from family interaction

• Changes in facial expression (squinting, furrowed brow, tense jaw)

Multi-modal pain management: We use a comprehensive, multi-modal approach to pain control that includes:

During surgery:

• Pre-operative pain medication given before the procedure begins

• Local anesthetic blocks when appropriate

• Continuous monitoring and pain medication throughout surgery

After surgery in the hospital:

• Post-operative pain medication while your pet recovers in our care

• Monitoring for signs of discomfort

• Adjustment of pain medication as needed

At-home pain management:

• Most pets will go home with oral pain medication to continue for several days after surgery

• Clear instructions on dosing, timing, and what to watch for

• The option to contact us if your pet seems uncomfortable despite medication

Our philosophy: Providing appropriate pain relief is not just medically sound, it's a humane and caring thing to do for your pet. Adequate pain control also promotes faster healing, better appetite, and quicker return to normal behavior.

Additional Services Available During Anesthesia

Since your pet will already be under anesthesia for their primary procedure, this presents an ideal opportunity to perform other minor procedures that would otherwise require sedation or restraint. This approach is more convenient, less stressful for your pet, and more cost-effective than scheduling separate appointments.

Common add-on procedures include:

• Ear cleaning: Deep cleaning of ear canals, especially beneficial for pets with chronic ear issues

• Ear hair plucking: Removal of excess hair from ear canals in breeds prone to this issue (certain poodle mixes, terriers, etc.)

• Matted fur removal: Shaving away painful mats that can't be brushed out

• Nail trimming: Especially helpful for pets who are anxious about nail trims when awake

• Microchip implantation: Permanent identification that greatly increases the chances of being reunited if your pet is lost

• Dental cleaning: If your pet is overdue and the primary surgery allows for it

• Minor skin mass removal: Removing small benign growths before they become problematic

Planning ahead: If you're interested in any of these additional services, please call ahead of time to request an estimate. This is especially important if the person dropping your pet off for surgery isn't the primary decision-maker for your pet's care. Having a pre-approved plan ensures that beneficial procedures aren't missed simply due to communication issues on surgery day.

What to Expect on Surgery Day

Understanding the logistics of surgery day can help reduce stress for both you and your pet.

Drop-off:

• Plan to arrive at your scheduled drop-off time

• Allow 5 to 10 minutes to complete necessary paperwork

• Bring any medications your pet is currently taking

• We'll review the surgical plan and any add-on services you've requested

• This is your opportunity to ask any last-minute questions

• We'll confirm your contact information so we can reach you with updates

During the procedure:

• We'll call you when your pet's surgery is complete to let you know how everything went

• If any unexpected findings or complications arise, we'll contact you immediately

• Your pet will recover in our care until they're awake, stable, and comfortable

Pick-up:

• We'll contact you when your pet is ready to go home

• Plan to spend approximately 15 minutes going over your pet's home care instructions

• We'll provide written discharge instructions that cover:

  • Medication dosing schedules

  • Incision care and monitoring

  • Activity restrictions

  • Feeding guidelines

  • Warning signs to watch for

  • Follow-up appointment information

• Bring your questions; we want you to feel confident about caring for your pet at home

• Make sure you understand all instructions before leaving

We're Here for You Every Step of the Way

Pre-surgery confirmation: We will call you the night before your scheduled surgery appointment to confirm your drop-off time and answer any questions you might have. This call also gives us a chance to make sure you're prepared and that your pet has been properly fasted.

Open communication: In the meantime, please don't hesitate to call us with any questions or concerns about your pet's health or upcoming surgery. No question is too small or silly; we'd rather you ask than worry. Common pre-surgery questions we're happy to address include:

• Can my pet have treats the night before?

• What if my pet ate something they shouldn't have?

• My pet seems more anxious than usual; is this normal?

• Can I give my pet their regular medications?

• What should I do if my pet is in heat/has an ear infection/seems sick?

Post-surgery support: After surgery, we remain available to address concerns about your pet's recovery. If something doesn't seem right, trust your instincts and give us a call. We're here to ensure your pet heals properly and comfortably.

Our Commitment to Excellence

At Middle River Veterinary Hospital, we treat every surgical patient as if they were our own beloved pet. From the moment you schedule surgery through your pet's complete recovery, we're dedicated to providing:

• The highest standards of surgical care

• Compassionate, individualized attention

• Clear communication at every stage

• Advanced monitoring and pain management

• Support for you and your pet throughout the process

We understand that surgery can be stressful for pet owners, and we're honored that you've chosen to trust us with your pet's care. Your confidence in our team motivates us to provide exceptional service and excellent outcomes for every patient.

If you have any questions about your pet's upcoming surgery or would like to discuss any aspect of their care, please contact us. We're here to help ensure your pet's surgical experience is as safe, comfortable, and stress-free as possible.