Ansley Animal Clinic offers a variety of surgical services, including routine procedures such as spays and neuters to soft tissue excisions. For orthopedic and some soft tissue surgeries, we may refer out to our trusted specialists.
If your pet is having a soft tissue surgery, a technician will confirm with you the areas the doctor will be working on before you leave your pet for the day. A doctor will then physically examine your pet to ensure s/he is safe to undergo anesthesia. A technician monitors and records your pet’s vital signs throughout the entire procedure. Most soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries require sutures or staples, which means your pet will likely be sent home with pain medication and/or a cone and will need to return in 10-14 days for a complimentary suture removal or evaluation. A technician will always go over after-care instructions at pickup. In some cases, our doctors may refer your pet to one of our trusted specialists.
Schedule a surgery: We only perform surgeries Monday – Friday. If your pet is over the age of seven, the doctor will recommend blood work within three months of your pet undergoing anesthesia. For most dental or surgical procedures, a pre-eval exam is required. Most post-evaluation exams and suture removals are complimentary. It is hospital policy that your pet be up-to-date on his or her annual exam and vaccinations before time of service. Call to schedule.
Deposit: We require a $100 deposit to schedule a surgical procedure. Your deposit will be applied the day of your pet’s procedure or if you cancel or reschedule with at least 48 hours’ notice. If less than 48 hours’ notice is given, your deposit is non-refundable.
What to expect on the day of surgery
Before you come: All surgical procedures are performed under general anesthesia. Because anesthesia may cause nausea, all pets must be fasted for at least 12 hours prior to drop-off. If your pet is over the age of seven, the doctor will recommend performing blood work within three months of your pet undergoing anesthesia. All blood work must be drawn and reviewed prior to scheduling your pet’s appointment.
Drop-off and pickup: We ask that owners drop-off their pets for surgery between 7:30 and 8 AM. You will be given an ETA for pick-up by your doctor. For our patients’ safety, we place an I.V. Catheter during all sedated procedures, so your pet will go home with a small shaved spot on his or her leg. We also perform a complimentary nail trim with all anesthetized procedures (unless requested otherwise).
The veterinarian that will be seeing your pet for the procedure will often be performing multiple procedures on a given day. Depending on the nature of the other procedures scheduled, your pet may not be the first to go. It is still important that your pet be dropped off between 7:30 – 8 AM for intake, premedication, and IV catheter installation. While your pet is waiting for their procedure, they will be provided with bedding (unless otherwise requested) to make them more comfortable. Your pet will be attended to by our technicians and dogs will be given opportunities to stretch their legs and go to the bathroom. Feline patients will be provided with a litter box.
When it is time for your pet’s procedure, you will be updated via text. The doctor will call you with an update after the procedure is completed and give you a pick-up time. If your pet has behavioral or medical reasons they need to be the first procedure in the schedule, please discuss this with the doctor or a receptionist when scheduling and we will do our best to accommodate their needs.
The procedure: After being dropped-off, a doctor physically examines your pet to ensure s/he is safe to undergo anesthesia. Throughout the entire procedure, a technician monitors and records your pet’s vital signs. Most surgeries require sutures, which means your pet will likely be sent home with pain medication and a cone (also called an Elizabethan collar), and your pet will need to return in 10-14 days for a complimentary incision evaluation and suture removal. Your pet must wear the cone until the sutures are removed.
A technician will always go over after-care instructions at pickup, and will send you home with an aftercare reference sheet. We will also call the next day to check on your pet following the procedure.