Surgery | Vet in Tacoma | Animal Hospital of Parkland

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CARA: /KAR-AH/
GAELIC (N): FRIEND

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When Only The Best Will Do

Advanced anesthesia protocols and an incredible surgical team.

Higher Standards

Surgery is often the most effective way to treat many serious injuries and disorders, and the Animal Hospital of Parkland is proud to use state-of-the-art surgical facilities and equipment. Our hospital provides a full range of surgical services ranging from standard spaying and neutering to advanced, highly specialized procedures.

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Surgical Services

Soft tissue
Mass removal
Wound repair
Abscess repair

Dental
Foreign body removal
Enucleation

Soft tissue
Mass removal
Wound repair
Abscess repair
Dental
Foreign body removal
Enucleation

Our Cara location in Bremerton offers Advanced Surgical Services. Click here to learn more.

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Pain Management & Guidance

Patient safety and comfort are our main priorities. Our experienced veterinary anesthesiologists provide skilled pain management during and after all surgical procedures, ensuring your pet recovers quickly and with minimum discomfort.

Our veterinary team will walk you through the entire process, giving you the tools to make informed decisions regarding your pet’s treatment options. We understand surgery is a stressful time for any owner, and we’re available every step of the way to answer questions and put your mind at ease.

If you are considering veterinary surgery for your pet, please contact us to schedule an introductory consultation by calling (253) 536-1505.

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Surgery FAQs

Many people have questions about various aspects of their pet’s surgery, and we hope this information will help answer them. It also explains the decisions you will need to make before your pet’s upcoming surgery.

Is the anesthetic safe?

Today’s modern anesthetic monitors have made surgery much safer than in the past. Here at Animal Hospital of Parkland, we do a thorough physical exam on your pet before administering anesthetics, to ensure that a fever or other illness won’t be a problem. We also adjust the amount and type of anesthetic used depending on the health of your pet.

Pre-anesthetic blood testing is important in reducing the risks of anesthesia. Every pet should have blood testing before surgery to ensure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthetic and the body can handle the healing process. Even apparently healthy animals can have serious organ system problems that cannot be detected without blood testing. If there is a problem, it is much better to find it before it causes anesthetic or surgical complications. Animals that have minor dysfunction may handle the anesthetic better if they receive IV fluids during surgery. If serious problems are detected, surgery can be postponed until the problem is corrected.

We offer in-house blood testing before surgery, which we will go over with you when you bring your pet in. Our doctors sometimes prefer the more comprehensive screen, because it gives them the most information to ensure the safety of your pet. For geriatric or ill pets, additional blood tests, electrocardiograms, or x-rays may be required before surgery as well.

It is important that surgery be done on an empty stomach to reduce the risk of vomiting during and after anesthesia. You will need to withhold food for 10 to 12 hours before surgery. Water can be left down for the pet until the morning of surgery.

Will my pet have stitches?

For some surgeries, we use absorbable sutures underneath the skin. These will dissolve on their own, and do not need to be removed later. Some surgeries, especially tumor removals, do require skin stitches. With either type of suture, you will need to keep an eye on the incision for swelling or discharge. Most dogs and cats do not lick excessively or chew at the incision, but this is an occasional problem you will also need to watch for. If there are skin sutures, they will usually be removed 10 to 14 days after surgery. You will also need to limit your pet’s activity level, and no baths are allowed for the first 14 days after surgery.

Will my pet be in pain?

Anything that causes pain in people can be expected to cause pain in animals. Pets may not show the same symptoms of pain as people do; they often don’t whine or cry, but you can be sure they feel it. Pain medications needed will depend on the surgery performed. Major procedures require more pain relief than things like minor lacerations.

For dogs, we may recommend an oral anti-inflammatory the day after surgery and several days after to lessen the risk of discomfort and swelling. We use newer medications, which are less likely to cause stomach upset and can be given even the morning of surgery. The cost of the medication depends on the size of your dog.

Because cats do not tolerate standard pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or Tylenol, we are limited in what we can give them. Recent advances in pain medications have allowed for better pain control in cats than ever before. We administer a pain relief injection 10 minutes prior to surgery. After surgery, pain medication is given on a case-by-case basis. Any animal that appears painful will receive additional medication.

We use narcotic patches for some surgeries as well. The cost will depend on the size of the pet. Injectable pain medications may also be used after surgery. Providing whatever pain relief is appropriate is a humane and caring thing to do for your pet.

What other decisions do I need to make?

While your pet is under anesthesia, it is the ideal time to perform other minor procedures, such as dentistry, ear cleaning, or implanting an identification microchip. If you would like an estimate for these extra services, please call ahead of time. This is especially important if the person dropping the pet off for surgery is not the primary decision maker for the pet’s care.

When you bring your pet in for surgery, you will need to allow 5 to 10 minutes to fill out paperwork and make decisions on the blood testing and other options available. When you pick up your pet after surgery, you can also plan to spend about 10 minutes to go over your pet’s home care needs.

We will try to call you the night before your scheduled surgery appointment to confirm the time you will be dropping your pet off and to answer any questions. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to call us at (253) 536-1505 with any questions about your pet’s health or surgery.

Surgical Services