What
You Need to Know Before Your Cat's Upcoming Surgery
Many people have questions about various
aspects of their cat's surgery and we hope this information
will help. It also explains the decisions you will need to make
before your pets upcoming surgery.
1.
Is The Anesthetic Safe?
Today's modern anesthetics and anesthetic monitors have made
surgery much safer than in the past. We do a thorough physical
exam on your pet before administering anesthetics to ensure
that a fever or other illness won't be a problem. We also adjust
the amount and type of anesthetic used depending on the health
of your pet.
Type
of Anesthetic Gas: There are three different types of anesthetic
gases available. Halothane is the standard gas for healthy patients
and has been available for several years. It is very safe and
is recommended for young pets and patients without any serious
health concerns. Isoflurane is superior to Halothane since it
has less suppressive effects on the respiratory and cardiovascular
systems. It is very safe and is recommended for patients of
all ages, especially for older and debilitated pets. The cost
is higher than that of Halothane. Sevoflurane is a relatively
recently developed gas anesthetic. At this time it is the safest
gas anesthetic available on the medical market. It is recommended
for very old pets, or patients with severe or serious illness.
............more
2.
Blood Profile and Urinalysis
Pre-anesthetic blood testing is important in reducing the risk
of anesthesia. Every pet needs blood testing before surgery
to ensure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthetic.
Even apparently healthy animals can have serious organ system
problems that cannot be detected without blood testing. If there
is a problem it is much better to find it before it causes anesthetic
or surgical complications! Animals that have minor dysfunctions
will handle the anesthetic better if they get intravenous fluids
during surgery. If serious problems are detected, surgery can
be postponed until the problem is corrected.
To avoid and minimize any anaesthetic risks, we offer and recommend
blood testing and urinalysis prior to any general anaesthetic.
Reasons why your cat should have a pre-anaesthetic blood test
and urinalysis include:
- Blood
Profile:
Maximizes the safety of the anesthetic and the surgical procedure
Identifies those "at risk" patients before administering
anesthesia
Gives information about internal organ systems that may not
be detectable on a physical exam
Gives determine the patient's readiness for surgery
Aids veterinarian in choosing the right type of anesthetic
agent
Signals the likelihood of any anesthetic complications and
allows for appropriate preparation
Establishes baseline values
Peace of mind
- Urinalysis
Supports the findings of the blood test
Detects inflammation or infection of the urinary tract
Screens for risk factors in the development of Feline Lower
Urinary Tract Disease
Determines if the cat's diet is appropriate for prevention
of lower urinary tract disease.......more
3.
Fluid Support
General anesthesia will decrease blood pressure and suppress
the cardiovascular system. If blood pressure falls very low,
some organs may suffer from lack of blood circulation, and lack
of oxygen. Fluid support is the primary means of maintaining
normal blood pressure. Other benefits of fluid support include:
-immediate access to the intravenous blood circulation for administration
of drugs in case of an -anesthetic emergency
-additional hydration for elderly or debilitated pets
-dditional hydration for patients undergoing long surgical procedures
such as major abdominal surgery or dental work
4.
Will My Cat Be Pain? Anything that causes pain in
people can be expected to cause pain in animals. Cats may not
show the same symptoms of pain as people do - they don't usually
cry out but you can be sure they feel it.
Pain management
in veterinary medicine has improved significantly. Recent advances
in the understanding of pain recognition and management have
underscored the importance of providing adequate pain relief
in veterinary patients. It is not acceptable to leave a painful
cat untreated. Appropriate pain control has become an integral
part of all our medical and surgical management.
There are
two main choices for post-surgical pain control. The first is
a pain control package which includes a post-surgical pain-killing
injection administered by the veterinarian, followed by administration
of tablets every 8 to 12 hours for 2 to 5 days following surgery.
The pain treatment package is recommended for mild to moderately
painful procedures such as neuters, spays and dental extractions.
The second option is the application of a Duragesic skin patch.
The patch is applied at the end of the surgical procedure and
provides a continuous release of pain-killing medication for
a total of 5 days. To prevent premature removal or chewing the
cat must wear and Elizabethan collar until the patch is to be
removed. The patch is most commonly recommended for more painful
procedures such as declaw surgeries, mature spays and other
major abdominal surgeries.
We will
be asking you when you bring your pet in whether you want this
added measure of pain relief for your cat or kitten. Remember
that spaying, neutering and declawing are major surgeries. Providing
pain relief is a humane and caring thing to do for your pet.................more
5.
What Other Decisions Do I Need To Make?
While your pet Is under anesthesia is the ideal time to perform
other minor procedures such as nail trimming, ear cleaning,
dental cleaning, tattooing
or implanting an ID microchip. For pets six to eight months
old this is also an ideal time for a fluoride treatment of the
new adult teeth, to help strengthen the enamel and lessen dental
problems later on. We will ask you about these extra procedures
when you bring your pet in. If you would like an estimate for
these extra services, please call ahead of time. This
is especially important if the person dropping the pet off for
surgery is not the primary decision maker for the pet's care.
When you
bring your cat in for surgery, we will need 5 10 minutes of
your time to fill out paperwork (unless you do it at home) and
make decisions on the type of the anesthetic, blood testing,
fluid support, pain treatment and other options available.
We will call you the night before your scheduled appointment
to confirm the time you will be dropping off your cat and to
remind you the necessary fasting prior to general anesthesia.
In the meantime, please don't hesitate to call us with any questions
about your cat's health or surgery!
When you
pick up your cat after surgery you can also plan to spend about
10 minutes to go over your cat's home care needs. You will be
given oral and written home care instructions how to care for
your cat at home.
6.
It is important that surgery be done on an empty
stomach, to reduce the risk of vomiting under and after the
anesthesia. We do recommend not give any food to your cat after
midnight. Water can be left out until the morning of surgery.
