If we have not seen your pet within the last 6 months, please book in for an appointment with a vet so we can discuss any procedure with you, prior to admission.  If you have any questions about the procedure that your pet is having, please call us before the day of the procedure or book an appointment.

If your pet is on medication or has a pre-existing condition, e.g. diabetes, then please speak to a vet before booking in for any procedure, as their pre-operative instructions may vary to that below.

The night before

  • Please feed your dog or cat a small meal around 9-10PM.
  • No food is to be given after 10PM and no breakfast in the morning.
  • DO NOT withhold water overnight.
  • Please ensure your pet is clean and avoid an early muddy walk, especially if they are having a surgical procedure! Bathe them if they are already dirty.
  • DO NOT withhold food or water if you have a small furry (e.g. rabbit, guinea pig etc).
  • It is advisable to keep cats indoors the night before, with a litter tray, to ensure they are present in the morning and ready to be brought to us.

 

The morning of the procedure

  • Take up the water in the morning.
  • Take your dog out to toilet (unless told otherwise by the vet)
  • Please bring some of your pet’s own food with them, especially if they are on a special diet or have any known allergies.
  • DO NOT withhold food or water if you have a small furry (e.g. rabbit, guinea pig etc) and please bring in some of their normal food and treats with them. Please also let us know if they drink from a bowl or bottle.
  • We also offer, or may recommend, some additional testing for older cats. These can include blood pressure testing, thyroid levels, or pro-bnp for possible underlying heart issues. Please discuss this with your case vet, before the day of the procedure, if you feel these apply to you.

 

During the day

The Vet will call you once your pet is waking up from their procedure. We like to keep them hospitalised until we are happy that they are fully awake and their pain is well-controlled.

We will arrange a collection time with you. Typically, this will be between 3pm and 6pm.

  • Please arrive on time for your discharge appointment. During this appointment, the duty nurse will go through the discharge instructions and any post-operative medications.
  • Please book in your post-op checks as instructed by the vet/nurse.

Surgical Risks

While every surgical procedure carries some level of risk, our team takes every possible precaution to ensure your pet’s safety and comfort.

The following is to help you understand the common risks and potential complications that can occur with surgeries. Our goal is to keep you informed and reassured so you can feel confident about your pet’s care before, during, and after their procedure.

Castrations (dog and cat)

  • Bleeding, during and after surgery 
  • Scrotal haematomas (collection of blood within the scrotum) 
  • Abscesses and wound infection 
  • Wound breakdown 
  • Reaction to suture material (dogs only) 
  • The risks are significantly increased if your animal interferes with the wound or doesn’t rest sufficiently  

 

Traditional dog spay/cat spay

  • Bleeding/blood loss during and after surgery
  • Wound infection, breakdown and hernia
  • Reaction to suture material
  • The risks are significantly increased if your animal interferes with the wound or doesn’t rest sufficiently

 

Laparoscopic spay (key hole)

  • Bleeding
  • Wound infection and hernia
  • Internal damage most often to the spleen from laparoscopic equipment
  • Some complications during the operation require us to convert to a traditional spay (eg. The uterus looks abnormal)
  • Reaction to suture material

 

Dental procedures

  • Root fracture/retention when extracting teeth
  • Infection around the gums when extracting teeth
  • Bleeding from the gums
  • Damage to jaw when removing lower canines
  • Damage to nerves when extracting teeth or performing local anaesthetic nerve blocks

If needing to extract numerous teeth, there may be occasions where it will benefit the patient to perform the procedure under more than one anaesthetic and not all work will be carried out on the first day.

 

Lump removals

  • Seroma (build-up of fluid under the skin)
  • Wound breakdown or infection
  • These risks significantly increase if your animal interferes with the wound or doesn’t rest sufficiently.

Some lump removals require bandaging after the procedure that need frequent bandage changes, these come at an additional cost.

For other procedures and operations, please ask the vet for specific risks involved.