287 Ashby Road, Scunthorpe,
North Lincolnshire. DN16 2AB
Operation and In-Patient Procedures
What happens on the day of the procedure?
Admission
On the day scheduled to perform the procedure your pet will be admitted by a Nurse (or Vet) who will discuss the plan for
the day, after checking a few details with you. If you are uncertain whether your pet has eaten please ensure you advise us.
If a pre-anaesthetic screen has been requested a blood sample will be taken and tested in our laboratory. The vet, who will
be undertaking the procedure, will examine the results. If there are any abnormalities they will contact you to discuss.
Premed
Your pet will be taken to its kennel/cage where a premed will be administered. This is a small injection that relaxes the
patient. It reduces anxiety, aids a smoother anaesthetic and safer recovery. Within 10-20 minutes the patient is usually
relaxed and becomes quite sleepy.
Anaesthetic and Procedure
When the vet is ready to start the procedure anaesthetic is administered. This is usually via a vein on the front leg and
necessitates a small amount of hair being clipped away. The patient is normally asleep within seconds. A tube is passed
down the throat in order to sustain an airway whilst asleep and to maintain the anaesthetic using carefully measured amounts
of Oxygen, Nitrous Oxide and Isoflurane.
Throughout all procedures the vets are assisted by a highly trained nursing team. They continually assess the patient’s condition utilising the latest equipment to monitor vital signs - heart, respiratory, blood/gas levels, etc.
Recovery
Once the procedure is completed pure Oxygen is administered and the patient rapidly wakes up. Once the swallowing reflex
has returned the tube is removed. The patients are then returned to their comfortable kennel/cage and monitored closely by
the ward nurse. Once the vet is content that recovery has been non-eventful and complete the patient will be ready for discharge.
Progress and Discharge
We understand that you will be anxious to know how your pet is and when you can collect them. However, please do not phone
before 2.00pm as procedures are conducted throughout the day and your pet may not have had sufficient time to recover. Your
pet may go home once recovery is complete. An appointment with a Nurse will be provided to discuss the procedure and any
post-operative care that will be necessary. A small number of pets may suffer a sensitive throat for 24 hours as a result
of the tube. This is quite normal and you should not be concerned.