Making Veterinary Surgery as Safe as Possible

At Union Lake Veterinary Hospital, our first concern when performing veterinary surgery is the safety of your pet. We approach surgery with compassion and aggressive pain management to make it as stress free and painless as possible including use of less-invasive laser surgery. We offer a wide range of surgeries including TPLO, spays and neuters, and dental surgery.

As a member of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), we follow their strict safety guidelines for anesthetizing and performing surgery on animals. We start with a pre-surgical examination, and then continually monitor your pet’s vital signs throughout the period before, during, and after the procedure.

We seek to make the anesthetization and surgical process as safe and comfortable for your pet as possible by:

• Conducting preliminary testing to ensure your pet can safely undergo the anesthesia and stress of the operation
• Taking X-rays of your pet’s vital organs
• Creating a customized sedative and pain management plan for your pet

On the day of the procedure:

• One of our veterinary nurses will review the procedure and necessary paperwork.
• Once admitted, your pet will be evaluated by our veterinarian prior to any surgery or procedures being performed.
• A sedative and pain reliever will be administered to keep your pet as anxiety and pain free as possible for the duration of the surgery and recovery.
• Fluids will be administered to prevent dehydration and maintain appropriate blood pressure during anesthesia.
• Once under anesthesia, a certified veterinary technician will continuously monitor your pet’s vital signs.

If any complications occur, an emergency treatment plan (formulated prior to anesthesia) is immediately implemented and followed.

After the surgery or procedure, your pet will be continuously monitored by our veterinary and technical team in our ICU to ensure a pain-free, low-stress, and safe recovery. At discharge, you will again meet with your veterinarian or veterinary technician to review the procedure and home care plan.

While surgery is necessary at times to maintain a pet’s health, we strive to make it as pain and stress free as possible. Be sure that your pet receives exceptional medical care with our list of questions to ask of any veterinary facility.