Please call 9498 3000 if you wish to make any changes to your booking.

Checklist for preparing your pet for a safe anaesthetic:

• Do not give any food from 10pm the night before
• Water can be given overnight but must be taken away the morning of surgery
• Encourage your pet to go to the toilet in the morning
•  Drop your pet to Gordon Vet Hospital between 7:15 – 8:15am or 8:15 – 9:30am depending on your booking time
• If your dog is having orthopaedic, abdominal or desexing surgery please bathe them 24-48 hours before admission where possible. Regular pet shampoo will suffice unless your pet has a skin condition in which case please speak to your vet.

What happens before and during an anaesthetic:

Admission Procedure

You will need to sign a consent form when admitting your pet. The receptionist will guide you through this process. Please allow 10 minutes for the receptionist to admit your pet into hospital.

Physical Examination

Your pet will receive a comprehensive physical exam on admission. This is essential for any animal undergoing an anaesthetic procedure.

Blood Testing

Any anaesthetic includes some risk and one of the ways we can minimise this risk is with a pre anaesthetic blood test. This test is essential for all sick, debilitated or aging pets and is highly recommended for pets of any age.

Fluid Therapy

Intravenous fluids during the anaesthetic help to maintain blood pressure and hydration, thus providing a smooth anaesthetic and faster recovery for your pet. We recommend fluid therapy for all anaesthetics that will be longer than 30 minutes in young and adult pets as well as all anaesthetics for senior or unwell pets.

Sedation and Pain Management

All pets undergoing a surgical procedure are given pain relief which is tailored to their needs. Prior to the anaesthetic your pet will be given a sedative and pain relief injection which helps them relax. Depending on the procedure, pain relief may also be given post operatively.

Monitoring

At Gordon Vet Hospital a trained anaesthetic nurse closely monitors your pet using sophisticated, human grade anaesthetic equipment.

What happens after an anaesthetic:

We will contact you after your pet’s procedure to update you and arrange an appropriate discharge appointment. The vet will decide whether your pet can go home later the same day or should stay overnight. For major procedures, it is often better for your pet to stay in hospital so we can administer ongoing pain relief, fluid therapy and medication.

Please call us on 9498 3000 if you have any questions.