The following information will give you a better idea of what happens during a procedure under anesthetic and what you can expect prior to, during, and following your pet's visit to our clinic.Ensuring safety and comfort through individualized monitoring and expert anesthetic protocols.
We offer certain services under anesthesia in order to prevent unnecessary stress to our patients. Each procedure is done with individual monitoring and care.
Our staff will explain all steps and answer your questions to ensure you feel comfortable with the process. Your pet's safety is our highest priority.
What to expect from consultation to recovery
Once we determine what the procedure may involve, we can give you an estimate of cost. There is some fluctuation in the cost depending on the procedure and details, which are specific to your pet. One of our staff members will go through the estimate with you to explain all the steps. If you have any questions at that point, we will try and answer them to the best of our knowledge. From there you can book the procedure with one of our receptionists. They will set up a drop-off time, usually between 7:30 and 11:00 AM, depending on your schedule and what needs to be done before the procedure.
Anesthetic does require fasting beforehand, so we ask that your pet not have anything to eat after midnight the night before, and no breakfast in the morning. Water is alright overnight, but pick up the bowl when you get up in the morning. Your pet will be receiving intravenous fluids throughout the day, so hydration is less of a concern than vomiting with a full stomach.
When you bring your pet in in the morning, one of our staff members will review the procedure with you and go over the admittance paperwork and consent form. We will also ask for contact numbers on which we can reach you during the day. We will call you upon your pet's recovery with an update and to set up a pick-up time. The time of your arrival does not determine the order of procedures or when your pet will be ready to go home. If you have any concerns please let us know so we can reassure you and answer any questions you may have before your pet stays with us for the day.
Upon admitting your pet, we perform an initial exam where we take the animal's temperature, as well as check the heart and respiratory rates. If you express any additional concerns for your pet, we will then address them with the veterinarian. If your pet is young and healthy, we will most likely run pre-anesthetic blood work in clinic the morning of the procedure so we can ensure your pet is healthy and able to properly process and remove all the anesthesia agents from their system. If your pet is older, we will send the blood to a laboratory where a more extensive panel can be run. For this we need to draw the blood at least 2 days prior to the procedure so that we can receive the results back in time. This test confirms your pet's organs are functioning properly and helps to rule out any underlying conditions.
Once the veterinarian reviews the blood work and any radiographs and determines they look good, we can begin. Your pet will be given a pre-anesthetic tranquilizer to lessen their anxiety and keep them calm while we prepare them. Each animal undergoing anesthetic will have an intravenous catheter placed to administer fluids throughout the day and to have quick access to a vein for medications. From here your pet will go under full anesthetic and the procedure can begin. Your pet's vital heart rhythm, respiratory rate, oxygen levels, temperature, and blood pressure will be closely monitored throughout. If there are any unforeseen changes to the treatment plan or estimate, we will give you a call and review what is recommended before we continue.
When your pet's procedure is complete and he or she is waking up from the anesthetic, we will call you with an update and come up with a time for you to come down for the discharge appointment. Depending on the procedure, your pet will be sent home with medications such as pain control, anti-inflammatory medications, and antibiotics. We will complete a home care instruction sheet and review the follow-up treatment plan with you during the see-out. We will also go over any medications and specific instructions given by the veterinarian, as well as let you know any side effects or symptoms to monitor for. If any radiographs were taken, we can show them to you, as well as the dental chart if your pet had a dental procedure.
No food after midnight (skip breakfast)
Bring a leash or secure carrier
Bring a medication list or photos of labels
Share any concerns or recent symptoms at drop-off
If your pet has any special medical needs, please call us ahead of your appointment.
Depending on your pet's age and history, we may recommend chest radiographs. Just like the blood work, the radiographs are a precaution and are used to rule out any underlying heart or lung issues that may have an effect on your pet during the anesthesia. We can do these the day of the procedure or at an earlier date, particularly if we are seeing your pet beforehand for the blood panel.
For some procedures, such as dentals, we recommend a recheck appointment in 3–5 days so that we can see how your pet is doing and to make sure the mouth is healing well. If your pet had surgery, we would like to see him or her back in 14 days to remove the sutures. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask us at any point.
We can give you a rough idea of when your pet might be ready, in order to try and accommodate your schedule, but we are unable to determine the exact time until after your pet wakes up from the anesthetic and is recovering well. In the majority of procedures, your pet will be able to go home the same day of the procedure; we will let you know ahead of time if that is not the case for your pet.
Clear, simple answers to help you feel prepared.
Anesthesia helps prevent pain, stress, and anxiety during procedures. It also allows our team to perform treatments safely and precisely while keeping your pet comfortable.
Fasting reduces the risk of nausea or vomiting while your pet is under anesthesia. Please remove all food after midnight and skip breakfast the morning of the procedure. Water is typically fine overnight unless we advise otherwise.
Yes. We continuously monitor key vitals such as heart rate and rhythm, oxygen levels, respiratory rate, temperature, and blood pressure. Monitoring helps us respond quickly and keep your pet as safe as possible.
Most pets go home the same day. We’ll provide an update after recovery and confirm a pickup time. If overnight care is recommended for your pet’s procedure, we’ll discuss that with you in advance.
Bring your pet on a leash or in a secure carrier, any current medications (or a list/photos of labels), and share any recent symptoms or concerns. We’ll review consent paperwork and answer questions at drop-off.
We understand that anesthetic procedures can be concerning. Our experienced team uses advanced monitoring equipment and precise protocols to ensure your pet's safety throughout the entire process.
If you have any further questions or concerns please feel free to contact us.
We are equipped to provide a full range of diagnostic services to care for your pets health care needs. We also are able to assist with all forms of treatment and therapeutic services.
We offer a variety of surgical services to best serve our patients needs. Our experienced team performs routine and complex procedures in a state-of-the-art surgical suite with modern equipment, ensuring safe operations and optimal recovery outcomes.
We offer a variety of dental services from prevention of dental disease to dental surgery. Our comprehensive oral health care includes professional cleanings, extractions, and periodontal treatments. Regular dental care prevents pain, infection, and systemic health issues while maintaining your pet's overall wellbeing and quality of life.
