Tips For Your Pet's First Major Surgery
Having to put your pet through surgery can be just as stressful for the pet owner as it will be for the pet itself. But if it's gotten to the point that you need to contact your local veterinary surgical services professional, then it's likely that the surgery is necessary in order to preserve your pet's quality or length of life. If your pet has never gone through any significant surgery before, you might not know what to expect. Here are some tips to keep in mind to help ensure your pet's surgery is successful.
Be Ready to Prove Vaccination
If the surgery is being performed by your pet's main veterinarian, he or she will likely already have a vaccination record on file. But if you need to take your pet to a specific surgeon, you might need to bring along its vaccination record or make sure that your regular veterinarian forwards the information. Some vaccinations like rabies are legally required, but other vaccinations might be important to help prevent infection during or after the surgery. In some cases, the surgeon might not agree to work on your pet if the vaccinations aren't in place, so be sure to take care of these records.
Ask the Surgeon About Eating and Exercise
Most veterinarian surgeons will tell you that your pet should not eat any food the morning of the surgery. What should happen the night or day before though can sometimes change based on what kind of surgery is going to occur. Talk to your surgeon about your pet's diet and whether or not they should fast for 24 hours or longer before the surgery takes place.
Another consideration is how active your pet should be in the day before the surgery. You may not want to over-exert your animal friend with a long walk or run, as this could cause their muscles to be sore which will lead to even more pain when they wake up from the surgery.
Clean Your Pet and Its Environment
Most surgeons will tell you that your pet should not be groomed or even touched in certain areas in the aftermath of surgery. This could mean your pet might go for a week or longer without being able to be washed or groomed. Because of this, it's a good idea to do some grooming the day before the surgery since that's the last time you'll be able to do so for a while. You may also want to clean your animal's bedding to help reduce the chance of infection when they return home.
