Pre and post surgery information

Preparing your pet for surgery can feel overwhelming, but knowing what to expect can make the process smoother for both you and your animal. At Nelson Vets, we take every precaution to ensure your pet’s safety before, during, and after their procedure. This page provides practical information about how to get your pet ready for surgery—including fasting guidelines, what to bring on the day, and what happens once they’re admitted. Our team is here to guide you through each step with clear communication and careful attention to your pet’s individual needs.

Before Surgery

Ensure your pet is clean- Please ensure your pet's coat is reasonably clean for surgery.  A very muddy or sandy coat increases the risk of contamination of the surgical site, leading to infection. After surgery your pet will not be able to get wet for approximately 10-14 days until their skin is healed. 

Fasting- It is important that your pet's stomach is empty before an anaesthetic. Please do not feed your pet after 9pm the night before surgery. They may have access to water overnight. If your pet accidentally consumes food on the day of surgery, please let us know to avoid any serious complications. There is more leeway for a pet undergoing sedation but still best to avoid if there is a choice to withhold food. Do not starve rabbits, guinea pigs, rodents or birds.

Examination-  Prior to anaesthesia a Veterinarian will have performed a complete physical examination in the consultation to identify any existing medical conditions that could complicate the procedure and compromise the health of your pet. On the day of surgery, prior to the anaesthesia, we listen to the heart and lungs, check body temperature and do a safety assessment for the anaesthesia to select the best anesthetic protocol for each patient. There is always the possibility a physical exam alone will not identify all of your pets health problems. This is why a pre-anaesthetic blood test is recommended.

Blood testing- A blood test is recommended in order for us to provide your pet with the safest anaesthetic and best outcome possible. In some cases, preanesthetic bloodwork detects abnormalities that can be corrected prior to anesthesia. For example, if your pet’s preanesthetic bloodwork indicates mild dehydration, your veterinarian may administer intravenous fluids for several hours prior to anesthesia. This allows your pet to be as medically stable as possible prior to undergoing anesthesia.

In other cases, however, more significant abnormalities might be detected on preanesthetic bloodwork. In these cases, your veterinarian may recommend postponing surgery until additional testing or treatment can be performed. Examples of situations where this may occur include severe anemia, significantly elevated liver or kidney values, or diabetes. In the case of significant bloodwork abnormalities, postponing surgery until the pet’s condition can be thoroughly diagnosed and addressed helps maximize the chances of a safe anesthetic procedure.

Your veterinarian will interpret your pet’s preanesthetic bloodwork in light of your pet’s physical examination and medical history, using the bloodwork to make rational recommendations regarding your pet’s anesthetic drugs and any changes that may need to be made in your pet’s treatment plan.

This test is available in-clinic, and can be done on the day of surgery or pre-booked leading up to surgery.

Vaccination and Parasite Control- For the safety of your pet and the other patients in our care, it is recommended that your pets vaccination schedule, worming and flea control is up to date prior to surgery. If you have any questions about your pets vaccination history or appropriate parasite control please contact us.

The Day of Surgery

On the day of surgery, your pet will be admitted in the morning. An admission time will be booked in when you make your appointment.  This admission process will take 10-15 minutes as you will be asked questions about your animal's health and you will also be required to sign an anaesthetic consent form. This form describes that no anaesthetic or surgical procedure is without some risk to the patient. Every care is taken to ensure the health and safety of your pet- it is our first priority- however, we would be irresponsible not to inform you of the risks involved. If you are uneasy about this procedure or the complications that may arise please contact us for more information. We are here to help.

Fees

All fees and costs must be paid for on the day of surgery before your pet is discharged. We accept ZIP and Smart Cover payment options aside the normal cash, eftpos and credit card options. 

Patient Discharge

When your pet is discharged you will receive discharge instructions from one of our vets or vet nurses. You will also get an email copy of the notes if desired. Please feel free to ask any questions during the discharge consultation.

Follow up appointments

During your discharge consultation, we will book a follow-up appointment to check on your pets wound and remove their sutures if needed. This appointment occurs aproximately 3 -10 days after surgery. There may be a cost for these appointments if the vet does a repeat examination or tests, a bandage change or if further medications are required. 

Medications

If the veterinarian has prescribed any medications for your pet they will be given to you at the discharge appointment, along with detailed instructions of how to give them to your pet and when. 

Pet Pick Up

When you pick your pet up they may be tired and groggy. As such, it is important that they are transported home by vehicle and are not expected to walk. Once at home they need to be kept confined in a warm place to recover.

Recovery

During your discharge consultation, the vet or nurse will outline the recovery instructions for your pet. If your pet is having major surgery eg orthopaedic or intra-abdominal, there may be things you need to organise in advance like a litter tray for cats or crate for dogs. Please ask your vet if you have any questions prior to surgery.