Operative Care
(OutPatient Surgical Center)
Working to get you and your pet back to enjoying life together.
Minimal Discomfort
Maximum Solutions
Rapid Recovery
Patient Safety
Is Our Highest Priority
While in our care, your pet will be treated like they are one of our own family members. Every decision we make is designed to ensure post-operative success for your pet. Prior to each surgery, our team will collectively review the patient safety checklist:
• Patient’s name
• Procedure to be performed
• Patient positioning
• Location of procedure
• Emergency contact information and crisis plan
• Expected anesthetic plan
• Patient-specific factors
• Expected equipment requirements
It is only after our entire surgical team (regardless of their credentials, title, or position) are satisfied with the plan that surgery may proceed.
Any team member is capable of calling an “all stop” to ensure our patient care is of unparalleled caliber.
What to Expect with Surgery
Before your surgical visit, make sure your pet has unlimited access to water, but that all food is picked up before midnight the day of the procedure.
Most patients will receive an initial oral sedative to aid in a calm and stress-free morning admission.
Our medical staff will greet you and your pet, verify the planned procedure, and perform a morning vitals assessment. Then your pet will be admitted to our Center for the day.
We will contact you as the procedure is starting.
Nearly every surgery we perform is through a small incision in the neck or groin region. We then gently dissect a specific vein or artery to add a small tube (introducer) that will hold a series of wires, catheters, and devices utilized to help the patient’s specific condition. The small incision ensures minimal discomfort, maximum solutions, and rapid recovery.
During the procedure itself, it is essential that we have a reliable contact number. If the listed contact is not reachable in an emergency, we will use our best judgment to help your pet through any complications or unexpected events.
Following the procedure, our medical staff will contact you to let you know the procedure is over and the patient is starting the recovery phase. The Cardiologist will contact you shortly thereafter to discuss the procedure and results.
Just like in human medicine, most patients are able to go home with pain medication the same day. If complications occur or the patient requires ongoing monitoring, they will be referred to an after-hours emergency hospital.
Patients must be on ‘bed rest’ for that night. This means brief leash walks in order to go to the bathroom, a bland (and likely small) dinner that evening, and no jumping, running, playing, or other strenuous activity. We recommend (and in some cases require) any post-operative patient to remain in a kennel overnight, especially if they are unable to rest peacefully in your lap, dog bed, or blankets on the floor.
The following morning you will have a scheduled post-operative evaluation. We will perform any diagnostics at that time and provide additional pain medication if required (which is rare).
At this visit, we will discuss our long-term care plan and schedule any additional post-operative assessments and visits. Some of the follow-up care will be performed by your primary care veterinarian. We may also visit your pet at their office as a part of our Concierge Service. Other assessments, such as pacemaker interrogations, will require a future visit to our Outpatient Surgical Center in Everett.
