What Happens When you Drop Your Pet off for an Hospital Procedure

When you drop off your pet for surgery in the clinic, it can be nerve-racking. Off they go to the treatment area, you sign the papers and you head out the door.

We understand it can be stressful during the wait. We have been in the same place as you, waiting, worrying.

Explaining what goes on can help to ease some of the anxiety you feel after leaving your pet in our care. Once they are with us, we again examine them to make sure we are feeling confident we can give sedation and possibly a general anesthetic. We may take blood to for pre-anesthetic testing to help look for issues. Your pet is then given a sedation injection. This makes things smoother for going forward with a general anesthetic. This could also be what is required for the procedure that your pet needs, like x-rays and some more minor things can be done with sedation (and possibly local anesthetic).

After your pet has had the necessary procedure needed, next, we make them comfortable with blankets, heating and monitoring. As the day progresses and they start to awake they are nearing time to go home.

At any point in the day, we would gladly have you call us to see how your pet is doing. We can keep you updated on how awake they are and when would be good to go home. We can also send you a picture of your pet once awake and send it to either your phone or your computer. This helps to see how your pet is doing.

We want to make it the least stressful for both you and your pet. They are usually thrilled to have you come take them home at the end of the day. They’re happy to be with their usual smells and their family there to give them all the cuddles and comfort they need to recover well.

Written by: Lisa Clifford, RVT