Can I bring my pet in later if the surgery is not scheduled until the afternoon?
Generally no. This is because having all the surgeries present at the start of the day allows us to schedule surgeries most efficiently. Non routine surgeries can sometimes arrange to have later drop off times.
Can I drop my pet off the night before?
This is not ideal but in some cases necessary.
Please note that an extra fee applies in this scenario as your pet will be nursed overnight.
What happens during a general anaesthetic?
All surgeries start with a "premed". This is an injection that contains drugs that provide pain relief and relieve anxiety. Pain relief works better if given before surgery and premeds also greatly reduce the amount of anaesthetic we need to use. This makes the anaesthetic safer.
The full or general anaesthetic starts with an injection that allows us to place a breathing tube. Then the anaesthetic is maintained with a gas that is delivered by the breathing tube. Gas anaesthetics (Isoflourane in our theatres) are considered the safest option in most surgeries and allow quick recovery.
During anaesthesia, we can monitor heart rate, breathing rate, the amount of oxygen dissolved in the blood, electrical activity in the heart (ECG) and the amount of carbon dioxide in each breath.
After surgery, once safe, the breathing tube is removed and your pet left to recover fully. You may see an occasional cough over the next 24 hours caused from the irritation associated with the breathing tube.
