Pre-operative information

We understand that preparing your pet for surgery can be a stressful experience. To help make the process as smooth and comfortable as possible, please carefully review the following information to ensure your pet is ready for their upcoming procedure.

Pre-Surgery Checklist

Fasting Instructions

Dogs & Cats:

  • We advise no access to food after midnight the day before the surgery. Generally, this means take away all food when you go to bed the night before. This helps prevent vomiting during anesthesia, which can lead to complications.
  • Water should still be available at all times unless otherwise instructed.

Small Animals (Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, etc.)

  • These animals should not fast. Continue feeding them as usual before the procedure. Please bring along some of their regular food as well with you on the day of admission.

Medications

  • If your pet is on any medications, please inform us during your pre-surgery consultation.
  • Some medications need to be stopped prior to surgery, while others can be continued. We will provide specific instructions based on your pet’s needs.

Bathing & Grooming

  • If possible, give your pet a bath or have them groomed 1-2 days before surgery. This helps minimize the risk of infection by reducing the bacteria on their skin.
  • Do not let your pet swim the morning of surgery.
  • The cleaner your pet, the lower the risk of infection
  • Pet’s will also not be able to be bathed for 10-14 days after surgery

Exercise & Bathroom Breaks

  • Make sure your pet gets some light exercise and has a bathroom break on the morning of the surgery.
  • Dogs should be walked, and cats should have access to a litter box. This will help reduce stress and ensure comfort after the procedure.
wallan pre surgery

Day of Surgery

Arrival Time

Please arrive at the clinic at your scheduled time. Admissions generally take around 10 minutes and allow us to go through the consent forms and answer any questions you may have regarding the procedure or anaesthetic.

Comfort Items

It is absolutely fine if you want to bring along any familiar items that may help your pet feel more comfortable, such as a blanket or favourite toy.

Pre-Surgical Testing

We will perform some pre-anaestheitc blood work to evaluate your pet’s organ health before anesthesia (if this testing hasn’t been performed recently). We do this for all general anaesthetics and even for some sedations if deemed necessary. This will usually be visible on your estimate and is included with all desexings.

Communication

During the admission process we will ask for your best contact information, including your cell phone number, in case we need to reach you during the surgery and for arranging discharge times.

Please provide an email address for us to send post-operative information and any certificates as needed.