Preparing for Your Dog’s Surgery

Just like people, dogs occasionally need surgery, both minor and major. This week, we had an unexpected dog surgery at our house: Tiki snagged a nail while playing outside, ripped it about 2/3rds off, and the nail needed to be removed and the paw cleaned. This involved general anesthesia so suddenly we found ourselves preparing for surgery the next day.

Since this was a scheduled surgery, we were able to make preparations to make the experience easier and safer for our dog. When you schedule a surgery for your dog, you’ll receive specific instructions regarding food and drink before the operation. Most veterinarians prefer to withhold food and water for up to 12 hours before the operation. If there is any food present inside your dog’s stomach just prior to his operation, the general anesthetic given may cause your dog to become sick.

You may have additional questions about preparing for the operation:

• Can you feed your dog his normal food the day before the surgery?
• When should you begin to fast your dog?
• What about any medications you normally give your dog? Should those continue? At what time?
• Should you bring the medication in with your dog when he arrives for surgery so they can be administered during his stay?
• What about your dog’s water intake?

Tomorrow we’ll discuss questions you may have when picking up your dog after a surgery.

Related posts:

1. Picking Up Your Dog After Surgery
2. Preparing for July 4th: Doggie Daycare
3. Preparing a Pet Evacuation Kit
4. Preparing for Fourth of July Fireworks
5. Preparing for Take Your Dog to Work Day