Pre/Post Surgery

There are some occasions when we will recommend surgery for your pet in order to treat a health problem. This doesn’t have to be a scary or overwhelming time for you or your pet.

Pre-Surgical Exam

Before your pet undergoes any surgical procedure, we will conduct a full physical exam of your pet and order laboratory tests. We do this to make sure that surgery is the best treatment option for your pet as well as to map out the procedure ahead of time. We use the lab work to make sure that we don’t have to worry about any complications or incompatibilities with the anesthesia.

Post-Surgical Aftercare

Helping your pet to heal quickly and correctly after surgery is just as important as the surgery itself. We will give you resources to help you make sure that your pet heals correctly. If you ever have any questions about your pet’s healing process, our Grand Prairie veterinary team is more than happy to answer your questions.

Post-surgical aftercare includes:

Monitoring activity – You will need to limit the amount and kinds of activity your pet can engage in while they heal. We will give you specific instructions and activities to avoid; for example, we’ll let you know if your pet needs total bedrest or if they can take a short walk around your neighborhood.
Feeding your pet – Depending on your pet’s reaction to the anesthetic, we will tell you when your pet is ready to resume a normal feeling schedule. After the procedure, we’ll check in with you to make sure they’re eating and drinking regularly.
Monitoring the wound – We will ask you to monitor the incision or wound area that we operated on to watch for any signs of infection. If you notice discharge, swelling, or redness around the wound, call us immediately as this could indicate an infection.
Administering medication – Depending on your pet’s procedure, we may prescribe medication for pain or to avoid infection. We’ll give you detailed instructions to ensure that your pet gets the right dosage at the right time throughout their recovery.

We will also schedule a follow-up visit after your pet’s surgical procedure to make sure that they are healing correctly. We want to be sure that your pet is back on all fours as quickly as possible!