We have a fully equipped modern operating suite in our hospital where we carry out major surgical procedures.

Prior to Admission

Food

Please remove your pet’s food from 10pm the night before surgery, unless directed otherwise by your pet’s veterinarian. It is not necessary for pocket pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, rats etc, to fast before surgery.

Water

There is no need to remove your pets water bowl prior to admission.

Medications:

Please continue with any regular medications as normal. Please seek advice from your veterinarian if you are unsure.

We highly recommend that you bathe your dog the prior to their surgery day, in preparation for their procedure to ensure they are as clean as possible during surgery. We also recommend not to bathe your pet for 2 weeks after surgery, to allow time for their surgical site to heal and prevent infection.

Admission Appointment

Please bring your pet to the clinic at the admission time given to you at the time of booking. The vet nurse will confirm the procedure with you, go through the ‘Hospital Admission and Consent form’ with you and answer any questions you may have.
We will double check your contact information as it is very important that we are able to contact you throughout the day to discuss your pet. This could be to discuss blood test results, report unexpected findings, get permission to change the treatment plan because of further examination under general anaesthetic (e.g., for dental procedures), and in rare cases, to discuss emergencies.

The admission appointment may take around 10-15 minutes.

Once you leave, your pet will be taken to the hospital. Placed in a room with comfortable bedding.

Pre-op Care

Prior to surgery all our patients have pre anaesthetic check-up prior to having any medications.

Our inpatients have a pre-anaesthetic blood test to assess the overall health of your pet. These tests are performed with our in-house pathology machines, to ensure your pet’s organs are healthy and fit for anaesthetic. In some circumstances the results may not be normal. This helps us to make an informed decision as to whether your pet is fit to undergo a general anaesthetic.

Your pet will be given a premedication, this helps make them feel comfortable while in hospital and can also provide pain relief and compliment the anaesthetic.

Intravenous Fluids

A catheter will be placed on your pet’s forearm to allow us to have intravenous access for medications, fluid therapy and emergency access if needed.  Pain relief and antibiotics will be prescribed when required.
Intravenous fluids are used to help maintain adequate blood pressure and kidney function throughout the procedure and to prevent dehydration and provide a smoother recovery for your pet.

In-Surgery Care

Your pet will be intubated during their procedure, via an endo tracheal tube down the windpipe, so we can maintain oxygen levels and deliver the anaesthetic agent.

During your pet’s anaesthesia, a veterinary nurse will work closely with the veterinarian by monitoring their oxygen rate, carbon dioxide levels, respiratory rate, heart rate, temperature, mucous membranes, capillary refill time and blood pressure throughout the anaesthetic.

Post-op Care

After surgery, your pet will be taken to the hospital to recover from anaesthetic with the surgical nurse, they will be closely monitored until they are awake.
Your pet will be given an additional pain relief injection that will help with pain relief for a further 24 hours.

We have calming pheromone diffusers running in our hospital wards. This provides comfort and security to all dogs and cats.

Our veterinary nurses will continue to keep an eye on them throughout their stay and take them for walks (dogs only!) and will attend to their needs until it is home time.

Discharge Appointment

Our team will contact you once your pet has recovered from anaesthetic to organise a discharge a time. Generally, discharge appointments are between 3-5pm. Please allow 10-15minutes for the discharge with our team.

At the time of discharge, the nurse will take you through the post operative care requirements for your pet and provide feedback on the procedure. The Veterinary Nurse will also provide you with any medications that are required and explain to you why they have been prescribed.

Payment

Post Surgery Review

Often post operative appointments will be booked at the time of discharge for your pet, this allows us to check in on your pet’s recovery. Generally, in about 7-10 days (depending on the procedure). This appointment is complimentary post-op check with a nurse.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us on 03 5241 2388.
Thank you for choosing us be a part of your pet’s comprehensive health care.

Regards,

The Veterinary Team at Belmont Vet Centre