General Surgery

 General Anaesthesia

Your pet's appointment is on

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No food after 7pm, the previous evening and allow only a modest drink (if wanted) in the morning.

Please arrive between 8am and 9am

Please toilet your pet before arrival.

We shall give you pre operative instructions for the withholding of food and water and the times to visit the surgery for admittance and discharge. A written copy of these instructions is available on request.

Reception is open from 8am. to allow you to drop your pet off before work. We encourage you, if you wish, to make an appointment to see the veterinary surgeon the day of the operation, to discuss in detail the planned procedures.

Prior to the administration of the anaesthetic, we shall weigh and examine your pet thoroughly to establish whether there are any pre existing problems which might have influence over methods and materials used.

Some such problems, however, cannot be determined by physical examination alone and therefore we recommend a pre anaesthetic blood sample, for all pets. The practice has a modern blood analyser for this purpose and results are available within 15 minutes, allowing any adjustments to be made in the anaesthetic protocol. A standard blood screen for animals under 6 years old costs £34.65. A more detailed analysis for animals over 6 years old costs £39.55.

Please ask for further details.

As is routine in human hospitals, we can provide intravenous fluid support (a drip) for our patients. We believe this benefits all pets and allows them to make a stronger and speedier recovery. You may request this service on the consent form and this will cost £24.75.

We shall ask you, or an authorised adult, for written permission to perform surgery on your pet. We make time to guide you through the consent form so that we can explain any terms that you do not understand or are worried about.

It is the routine at Oak Tree Veterinary Centre that patients receive not only a sedative to allay any fear but two analgesics (painkillers) as their premedication before general anaesthesia. Patients receiving sedation only for investigations will have painkillers if appropriate to their condition. We have taken advantage of a new product, clinically proven, to provide 24 hours of pain relief. Individual patients may need longer help than the first 24 hours and there is an oral liquid formulation of the product for us to give for home use either at our suggestion or at your demand.

We allocate each pet a pen within our day care kennels, which are situated within our central preparation room. The pens are warm and sound insulated and each has a lightweight polyester fleece for warmth and comfort. All animals are within sight of the operating team, allowing prompt intervention, if required.

Following induction of anaesthesia, all theatre cases are intubated to protect their airway and maintained via a modern gas anaesthetic system, featuring sevoflurane. the latest and considered best anaesthetic gas.

All anaesthetised patients are monitored throughout, by the theatre nurse under the constant supervision of the operating surgeon.

All patients have their own set of operating drapes and instruments. There is never reuse of drapes or instruments without them having been cleaned ultrasonically, packed and sterilised in our modern hospital standard autoclaves.

Where the operation involves entering the abdominal midline e.g. in a bitch spay we make our abdominal closure with modern absorbable sutures. This means that after a few weeks there are no "little nobbles" left behind for the whole of the animals' life as is the case with nylon sutures.

We are as flexible as we can be, regarding sending your pet home and we do not have to discharge animals prematurely as we have ample comfortable accommodation for them. When you collect your pet we shall give you full verbal, practical and where necessary, written instructions on post operative care.

In many cases we shall give you a mobile phone contact for us for the evening of your pet's operation. This will be recorded on your discharge sheet and may be used to speak with one of us in the case of any unexpected development.

Wounds do not normally require any attention except for you preventing your pet licking excessively at the wound or removing the stitches. We have both anti lick products and plastic Elizabethan collars (like lampshades) for sale, to help you. We have to make a charge for re suturing wounds, often involving another anaesthetic, if stitches have been lost as a result of a lack of supervision.

Dressings (and wounds) need to be kept clean and dry and we can help by providing a plastic pouch for temporary protection whilst your pet is out doors, or your can buy from us a purpose designed dressing sock. Please do not over exercise your pet, as pressure or rub sores may result. Do not cover the dressing with impervious materials except for a short time whilst your pet is outside. Do not allow your pet to chew the dressing. We have to charge for repeat dressings. If your pet's dressing becomes wet, soiled or smelly, please ring us for advice.

Finally

We know that even the most minor operation may cause you considerable anxiety. We shall keep you involved all the way and we assure you that we shall give your pet individual and caring attention.

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