You pet has a surgery scheduled for a sterilization, a mass excision, or a dentistry? Here is all the information you need to be fully prepared before the day of the procedure:
Your pet must be fasted as of 10pm the night before the procedure. Water is allowed at all times.
Depending on the procedure and circumstances, some patients may leave the day of the procedure. Your pet will most likely stay overnight after the procedure.
If your female dog had a heat recently, call us to move the procedure, as we can operate only 3 months after the end of the heat.
Your pet must have been seen by a veterinarian within the year and vaccines must be up to date before the day of the procedure.
On the day of the procedure:
Please arrive 5 minutes before your scheduled check-in appointment
The appointment may take up to 20 minutes to discuss and ask your questions to the technician
Discussion points:
The quote given to you prior to the procedure
The pre-anesthetic blood test (making sure the liver and kidneys are fully functional and screening any abnormality)
The technician will look at your pet’s dentition and will recommend the extraction of possible remaining baby teeth (additional fees)
The technician will make sure that males have both their testicles descended before a castration (in the case of a retained testicle, the procedure is more complex and additional fees are to be expected – should be mentioned to you during a veterinary exam)
The technician will ask you when your female dog had her last heat and make sure that the timing of the procedure is adequate. It must be done 3 months after the end of her heat
The technician will check your pet for an umbilical hernia. If present, it should be corrected during the procedure (additional fees – should be mentioned to you during a veterinary exam)
The technician will ask you the following question, prepare yourself to answer: ”In the event of cardio-respiratory arrest during or after the procedure, do we have your financial authorization to carry out the resuscitation maneuvers? Yes or no” (additional fees).
* Your animal must be fasted as of 10pm the night prior to the procedure.
What to expect after your pet’s procedure:
At the discharge appointment, you will meet with a technician to answer all your questions concerning the recovery at home. The convalescence period is two weeks. Here are the indications :
Complete rest
No jumping
No running
No vigorous exercise
Separate pets if they tend to play together
Dogs: short walks on a leash only
Monitor the wound everyday for signs of infection. If you notice any of the following symptoms, contact us:
Redness
Inflammation
Yellow secretions (purulent)
Heat
Pain
Prevent your animal from licking of biting the surgery wound
An Elizabethan collar (cone) or post-operative shirt will be necessary if your pet licks the wound. This is crucial, as the mouth contains an important amount of bacteria.
Medication
There will be post-operative anti-inflammatories to give by mouth for a few days at home.
In case of emergency, you can contact the DMV Veterinary Center at 514-633-8888.
Isabelle L.
Certified animal health technician supervisor
Assistant technician supervisor
Fear free certified