Unless directed otherwise, your pet will need to be fasted before any sedation or general anesthesia (surgery, dental cleaning, endoscopic exam, etc.).
No food should be given after 10 pm the night before surgery, but your pet can have water until 7 am the day of surgery.
It is important that surgery be done on an empty stomach to reduce the risk of aspirating any vomit while anesthetized.
NEVER withhold food or water from a rabbit for any period of time because their gut needs to be in constant motion and they are incapable of vomiting.
Pet Drop-Off & Pick-Up
You will need to drop off your pet the morning of surgery between 7 am - 8 am. If you are unable to do this you may drop off your pet the night before at no extra charge.
Depending on the type of surgery performed, your pet will go home that night (usually between 4 pm - 7 pm) or the next morning (after 8 am). We will let you know when we call with a post-op update. There is no charge for your pet to stay overnight after surgery.
Surgeries that typically go home the day of surgery: dental cleaning (with or without extractions), cat castration, mass/lump removal, and minor laceration/wound repair.
Surgeries that generally stay overnight: dog castration, dog spay, cat spay, declaw, aural hematoma repair, urethra/bladder unblocking, cystotomy, amputation, enucleation, abdominal exploratory, and foreign body removal.
Incisions & Closures
Depending on the procedure performed, your pet may or may not have stitches or staples after surgery.
We most often use absorbable sutures underneath the skin (subcutaneous) - these sutures will dissolve and do not need to be removed. Tissue glue will be used in addition to subcutaneous sutures.
Any stitches are generally removed 10-14 days post-op with a technician unless otherwise directed. Some surgeries may require up to 21 days with the sutures in place.
Drains are usually removed 3-5 days after placement.
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