Service
Surgery
We perform a wide variety of soft tissue surgical procedures including:
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- Spays, neuters, and Caesarean sections (C-sections)
- Removal of lumps, urinary bladder stones, and swallowed objects that have become stuck in the stomach or intestines
- Wound repairs
- Skin and liver biopsies
- Splenectomies (removal of the spleen)
- Gastropexies (attaching the stomach to the abdominal wall to prevent life-threatening stomach twisting and bloat in certain breeds prone to it)
- And more…
For surgeries that lend themselves to it, we take a minimally invasive approach using laparoscopy (keyhole surgery). We also perform dental procedures — professional cleanings and extractions of diseased or broken teeth.
Prior to Surgery
We’ll need recent bloodwork. We may also need to do additional screening (a pet with a heart murmur will need an evaluation of the heart with ultrasound and x-rays, for example). Pre-operative screening helps us decide whether surgery can go ahead, and which medications and fluid rates are best suited to your pet.
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We’ll have you in for a pre-operative consult to go over fasting instructions (no food after midnight; water’s okay until about 2 hours before you arrive), to dispense calming medication given before leaving home on the day of the procedure so your pet arrives relaxed, and to go over what to expect on the day of surgery. The day before surgery, we’ll contact you to review fasting instructions and send you a surgical consent form to sign.
A typical surgery day looks like this:
Admission to hospital
Your surgery technician will welcome your furry best friend with open arms but, sadly, no treats (surgery is a fasted affair, after all). The two of them will be spending the day together but not before your tech confirms that your little one has been fasted, that we’re aware of any changes in his/her health, and that you’re up to speed on our plan for the day.
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We’ll need a phone number where we can easily reach you to keep you posted throughout the day and to ask you any questions that come up about your pet. Then it’s off for a weigh-in and a welcome by the team (none of us can resist saying hello to the furry loved ones in our care) before settling in to one of our cozy kennels awaiting the next step.
Pre-op Prep
Our veterinary surgeons and surgery technicians work together to plan their day and each surgery. Your pet’s surgeon performs a full physical exam and reviews your pet’s pre-operative bloodwork and medical history before coming up with an anesthetic plan.
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Because no two pets are identical in weight, age, size, breed, or pre-existing medical conditions, we tailor an anesthetic plan specific and unique to your pet’s needs. For instance, brachycephalic (short-headed) breeds such as pugs and bulldogs have needs quite different from, say, sighthounds such as whippets or greyhounds, which in turn have their own specific requirements. Similarly, a pet with heart disease or impaired kidney or liver function must be accommodated differently from one with no underlying health issues.
Once a plan is in place, your surgery technician preps your pet for surgery – giving an appropriate sedative, placing a catheter for intravenous fluids, placing an endotracheal (breathing) tube to maintain an open airway and deliver oxygen and anesthetic gas, and shaving, cleaning, and disinfecting the surgical site in preparation for the main event.
Surgery
Surgery is performed in our state-of-the art surgery suite, where we have the highest quality anesthetic machines and monitoring equipment to help us keep an eye on vital parameters during surgery.
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Post-op Recovery
Throughout recovery, your pet’s surgery tech will be keeping a very close eye on things, making sure your pet is comfortable and recovering normally. Our modern, warmed recovery units with privacy lighting are designed to promote a smooth recovery. And if your pet welcomes pats, strokes, and snuggles, those will be included in the recovery plan!
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This is the point at which the endotracheal (breathing) tube comes out, but the intravenous catheter stays in — at least for a few hours while we flush out those anesthetic drugs and support internal organ function and maintain hydration during recovery with intravenous fluids. It’s also about this time your pet might be thinking “I’m hungry! Is anyone serving lunch around here??” Once he/she is fully awake and showing interest in food, we’ll offer a taste of our “SOVH special” (or whatever food is appropriate for your pet).
Sometime during recovery, your pet’s surgeon will touch base and let you know how things went. But chances are you’ll have an idea already because your pet’s surgery tech will have dropped you a line with a photo at various points throughout the day.
Discharge from hospital
Woot woot! It’s time to go home! Most patients are discharged at the end of the day to give us enough time to monitor their recovery.
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One final look to make sure your pet’s vitals are normal, incision(s) look good, and pain is well controlled. Then a review with you of any medications going home and instructions about home care. It’ll have been a big day for you both, and it’s time to relax and rest up together at home. We’re typically in touch the next day and later in the week to see how things are going, but you can feel free to call any time with any questions or concerns.