Vancouver Veterinarians : Healthy Dog Series

Dogs surgery procedures can be divided into two major categories, elective and required. Elective surgery for dogs includes spaying, castration (sterilization by complete removal of the testicles), vasectomy (sterilization by severing of the testicular tubules), tail amputation (tail docking), dewclaw removal and ear cropping. Required surgery for dogs are those performed after traumatic or disease induced injury, examples including repair of a fractured thigh bone or removal of a tumor. No matter which dogs surgery is being considered, the decision to perform veterinary surgery should be based on a thorough understanding of the risks, possible complication, and consequences of the procedure. Any anesthetic/surgical procedure can potentially result in the death of the patient. The chance of death is often very low, however, the perceived benefits of the surgical procedure must always outweigh this inherent risk. When discussing possible surgery for dogs, pet owners should as accurately as possible convey their expectations to the veterinarian and have all their expectations concerning the contemplated procedure answered to their satisfaction before leaving the veterinary surgery examination room.

Elective surgery at Killarney Animal Hospital

Elective veterinary surgery is usually performed on healthy dogs. Preoperative management includes bathing the animal and fasting it for 6 to 12 hours prior to surgery. Drinking water should be withheld for the final 2 to 4 hours before induction of anesthesia. Before surgery, the vet surgeon will perform a physical examination of the patient and will often submit blood and urine samples to the laboratory for selected tests. The purpose of these tests is to verify that the major organ systems are functioning well and that the dog is a good candidate for anesthesia. Following surgery, the dog will be placed under observation by the vet surgeon until all the effects of the anesthetic agents have dissipated. The dog will be discharged to the care of the owner when able to eat, drink and care for itself.
Instructions for home care following elective surgery will vary depending on the veterinary surgery procedure performed, and whether bandages or splints were applied. Most animal recovering from veterinary surgery will need to have their exercise restricted for 5 to 10 days, or until the incision has healed. For such a purpose, leash walks represent an excellent opportunity for both pet and pet owner to enjoy a moderate form of exercise.