Pre-Surgery Information

Your pet should not have any food or treats after 8:00 p.m. the night before the procedure (diabetics excepted).  Water should be available until 10:00 p.m. Walk your dog before coming into the clinic. Collect a fecal sample if produced. Plan on arriving between 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. the morning of the procedure (unless otherwise arranged).  Allow for time to read and sign an authorization form.  A more convenient way for you, after discussing the procedure with one of the doctors and one of our receptionists, is to print the anesthesia/dental/surgery form found in Client/Patient Forms here on our website, completing it in the comfort of your own home and bringing the completed form with you to your pet's appointment.  You will be given a written estimate of scheduled services. We will call you when your pet is in recovery and the procedures have been completed.

When your pet is in for a scheduled services there are some other services that might be of benefit to you and your pet. You may authorize these services when your pet is admitted in the morning, or anytime before your pet is in recovery. Provided here is some information to allow you to make an educated decision. (Note: some of these services may already be included, and/or required.)

1. We will perform an in-house preanesthesia lab analysis for the safety of your pet.

This set of tests measures your pet's electrolytes, blood proteins, kidney and liver function, as well as the percentage of red cells and levels of electrolytes to better insure your pet's ability to undergo a smooth anesthesia.  This information will help us help your pet through today's procedures.  This also allows us a baseline of what is normal in your pet.  If your pet is ever sick, we can compare it to your pet's actual normal values.  This is required for dental prophylaxis.

2. We recommend a fecal examination to insure your pet is rid of internal parasites.

3. We recommend extraction of retained baby teeth if your pet is 6 months old or older.

Retained baby teeth will cause early dental disease if left in.  Typically, if your pet is older than 6 months, these retained teeth are unlikely to fall out on their own after 6 months of age.  Pain medication will be administered because dental surgery is a painful procedure.  The charge is based on the amount of time required to extract these teeth.

4. We can correct umbilical hernias.

5. We recommend a hip radiograph (X-ray) to check for hip dysplasia tendency for any pets over 40 #, or expected to be over 40# at maturity.

This hip X-ray is taken with your dog up side down, stretched and legs somewhat twisted.  We only do this under sedation or anesthesia.  If your dog's hips look good - great!!  If not, in younger animals you will have choices of what you can do to prevent or reduce arthritic changes.  In older dogs we will help you help your pet stay as pain free as possible.

6. If your pet is not yet Microchipped, today we can perform the simple injection to permanently identify your pet

If you want your pet back should they become separated from you, you will want your pet microchipped.  Virtually all humane societies and animal control agencies scan pets for microchips. Most lost pets somehow have lost their collars.

7. Cats can be declawed.

I have much information for you about the pros and cons and other information pertinent to declawing cats.  Normally, only the front claws are removed.  Pain medication will be used.  All cats will be hospitalized for 2-3 nights.  All my cats are declawed, and kept indoors only.

8. If desired, any warts, skin tags, cysts or other lumps can be appropriately removed.

Please be prepared to indicate which lumps, etc you wish removed.  We will provide you with a diagram to map out the lumps you wish addressed.  List the total number of lumps you wish removed. If warranted, tissues will be sent in to the lab for a biopsy report.

9. We can easily perform the following grooming procedures: Toe nail trims, Ear Hygiene (plucking hair out of the ears and/or cleaning), Brushing or Clipping out mats, Bathing, Expressing anal sacs.