Whether performing routine surgery, repairing fractures or performing a complex lifesaving surgical procedure on a trauma case, our surgical teams at CityVets are confident, skilled and experienced.
CityVets undertakes routine surgical procedures daily at the Heavitree Hospital, St Thomas and Alphington surgeries. Our Whipton surgery is equipped for day-to-day consulting but all surgery cases are transferred to our hospital at Heavitree.
Before our patients undergo any surgical procedure, a thorough physical examination takes place. This may include a pre-anaesthetic blood screen, which, along with your pet’s health history, breed, pre-existing conditions, and age, will be used to determine the most appropriate and safest sedation, anaesthetic and pain control protocols.
For most surgical procedures, anaesthesia is required. While under anaesthesia, your pet is continuously monitored by our highly experienced Veterinary nurses. Your pet’s blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, and blood Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide levels are all tracked and recorded during surgery until recovery.
To minimise your pet’s discomfort post-surgery, we plan the right combination of pain relief for your pet. This usually starts prior to the surgery starting as part of the premedication. Pain relief protocols vary, and this depends on several factors, such as the breed, sensitivity and nature of the animal, the site and nature of the surgical procedure being undertaken.
The amount of time your pet will need to be monitored and hospitalised after surgery varies. But we always aim to return pets to their owners as soon as possible to minimise stress which does not help healing. Once your pet is discharged, we will provide you with information on how to care for your pet at home and undertake regular checks to ensure that everything is repairing well and recovery from surgery is as rapid and problem free as possible.
Please do not hesitate to call us if you have any concerns at all about your pet’s surgery or recovery.