Pre-Anesthesia Surgery/Dentistry Instructions and Anesthesia/Procedure Release

You may be planning, or have already scheduled, to have your pet admitted for a medical procedure (i.e., surgery, dental cleaning, endoscopy, etc.). Please read the following information carefully before the scheduled procedure. If your pet is taking any medications or supplements (other than flea or heartworm prevention) please check with your pet's doctor for advice on whether to give them in the period leading up to the day of surgery/anesthetic.

Setting a date

If you haven't already done so, call Redwood Veterinary Hospital at (707) 553-1400 to make an appointment for the procedure. The surgical service at Redwood Veterinary Hospital is very popular, so appointments are required. When you make your appointment, keep in mind that on most weekdays we admit patients between 7:00 and 7:30 am. The admission period may vary from time to time depending on staffing and doctor availability. If your pet is to be admitted on a day when the admission period is different, an RVH team member will call you to advise you of the change.

Pre-anesthetic blood testing

Your pet's doctor will recommend pre-anesthetic blood tests to assure the safest possible anesthetic experience for your pet. We request that you bring your pet in sometime before the scheduled procedure date for a nurse to draw the blood sample. Many times this brief appointment with the nurse is set up when you make the original surgery/procedure appointment; if not, simply call the front desk (707-553-1400) and they will set up a time that is good for you and your pet. By doing the testing ahead of time we can focus on getting started with your pet's procedure instead of waiting for results from the lab. Additionally, because lab tests run before the day of the procedure help us work more efficiently, we extend to you a discount on the cost of these blood tests. If it is not possible for you to have these tests run prior to the scheduled day of surgery/procedure, we would be happy to run them the morning of the procedure at their regular price.

The night before

You should try to keep your normal routine the night before the planned procedure. This would include normal levels of activity and diet. Most anesthetic/sedation procedures for dogs and cats require that the pet be fasted (no food) for the 12 hours prior to the procedure. Usually, we recommend simply picking up the food bowl at bedtime the night before. Other species of pets (rabbits, birds, "pocket pets") may have a different pre-anesthetic fasting period; your pet's doctor will advise you if this is the case. Do not restrict water! Your pet should have free access to water up until you leave to come in the day of the procedure. If your pet requires any special preparation prior to his/her procedure the doctor or nurse will let you know well in advance.

The morning of the procedure

If your pet normally takes medications in the morning, unless otherwise directed by your pet's doctor, you should give them the day of the procedure as well. The only exception is for diabetic pets - the doctor will advise you on insulin dosing for that day.  As noted above, on most weekdays we admit surgical/procedural patients between 7 am and 7:30 am on a "first come first served basis". In most cases admitting your pet to the hospital will take about 15-20 minutes. In some cases, patients can be admitted the night before their scheduled surgery/procedure date. Please arrange this when making your appointment.

 

Please feel free to call and talk with one of our health care team members if you have any questions about your pet's upcoming surgery/procedure.

The medical Staff at Redwood Veterinary Hospital has made every effort to ensure that your pet has a smooth and safe anesthesia and surgery/procedure. We use the safest anesthetic protocols available for your pet, but because no anesthesia is without some risk, our doctors recommend a pre-anesthetic blood screen for all patients undergoing anesthesia. The pre-anesthetic blood screen is performed in our in-house lab. It enables your pet’s doctor to better assess for hidden anesthetic risks and/or prescribe intra-operative measures to help support a safe anesthetic experience.

By signing below, I acknowledge that I am the owner, or agent of the owner, of the animal named above. I understand the risks of anesthesia and surgery for my pet and authorize the doctor proceed with the surgery/procedure as discussed.

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