Just like people, pets can require surgery for
a number of reasons.
Whether it’s a simple spay or neuter or a complex, life-saving operation, sending your beloved companion in for an operation can be frightening. It is natural to feel apprehensive, but when you choose Best Friends Animal Hospital and Pet Resources for your pet’s surgery in Swansea, you can rest assured knowing that they are in excellent hands. Our expert team is equipped with the knowledge and tools to perform a wide range of procedures, and your pet’s safety and comfort are always our primary concerns before, during, and after surgery. When your pet needs surgery, let Best Friends take care of your best friend.
Our Surgical Services
Our state-of-the-art facility is equipped for spay and neuter surgeries, soft-tissue surgeries, and some orthopedic surgeries. When you choose us for your companion’s surgical needs, we will do everything we can to ensure their comfort and safety and to address any questions or concerns you may have.
Fear Free
Pre-Surgical Patient Care
It is extremely important to us to make all of your pet’s interactions with us as positive as possible. To minimize the anxiety associated with being hospitalized and the pain associated with undergoing surgery, we recommend that your pet be given a few doses of medication prior to their surgery. This protocol was introduced to us by a board-certified behaviorist who has seen great results with it.
For dogs, the protocol involves giving your pet two medications - trazodone and gabapentin. One dose is given at bedtime the evening before surgery, and another is given the following morning prior to your pet being admitted for surgery. Your dog is also given a dose of lorazepam prior to going home, which should help minimize the amount of recall he or she has regarding the surgery.
Cats are given one medication - gabapentin - the evening before and the morning of surgery. In some instances, we can provide you with your pet’s premedications at their last puppy or kitten visit. For large breed puppies whose weight is likely to change dramatically prior to surgery, though, we ask that you pick up their premeds sometime in the week before their scheduled operation.
Keep in mind that some pets become lethargic after taking the medication. Others may not seem to be affected, at least outwardly.
For dogs, the protocol involves giving your pet two medications - trazodone and gabapentin. One dose is given at bedtime the evening before surgery, and another is given the following morning prior to your pet being admitted for surgery. Your dog is also given a dose of lorazepam prior to going home, which should help minimize the amount of recall he or she has regarding the surgery.
Cats are given one medication - gabapentin - the evening before and the morning of surgery. In some instances, we can provide you with your pet’s premedications at their last puppy or kitten visit. For large breed puppies whose weight is likely to change dramatically prior to surgery, though, we ask that you pick up their premeds sometime in the week before their scheduled operation.
Keep in mind that some pets become lethargic after taking the medication. Others may not seem to be affected, at least outwardly.
Pre-Surgical Patient Care
It is extremely important to us to make all of your pet’s interactions with us as positive as possible. To minimize the anxiety associated with being hospitalized and the pain associated with undergoing surgery, we recommend that your pet be given a few doses of medication prior to their surgery. This protocol was introduced to us by a board-certified behaviorist who has seen great results with it.
For dogs, the protocol involves giving your pet two medications - trazodone and gabapentin. One dose is given at bedtime the evening before surgery, and another is given the following morning prior to your pet being admitted for surgery. Your dog is also given a dose of lorazepam prior to going home, which should help minimize the amount of recall he or she has regarding the surgery.
Cats are given one medication - gabapentin - the evening before and the morning of surgery. In some instances, we can provide you with your pet’s premedications at their last puppy or kitten visit. For large breed puppies whose weight is likely to change dramatically prior to surgery, though, we ask that you pick up their premeds sometime in the week before their scheduled operation.
Keep in mind that some pets become lethargic after taking the medication. Others may not seem to be affected, at least outwardly.
For dogs, the protocol involves giving your pet two medications - trazodone and gabapentin. One dose is given at bedtime the evening before surgery, and another is given the following morning prior to your pet being admitted for surgery. Your dog is also given a dose of lorazepam prior to going home, which should help minimize the amount of recall he or she has regarding the surgery.
Cats are given one medication - gabapentin - the evening before and the morning of surgery. In some instances, we can provide you with your pet’s premedications at their last puppy or kitten visit. For large breed puppies whose weight is likely to change dramatically prior to surgery, though, we ask that you pick up their premeds sometime in the week before their scheduled operation.
Keep in mind that some pets become lethargic after taking the medication. Others may not seem to be affected, at least outwardly.
Food
The night before surgery, your pet is free to eat and drink as usual. Close to bedtime, give your pet their premedication, and pick up their food bowl. Please do not feed anything after 10 pm. A very small amount of water (approximately ¼ cup per 20 pounds) may be left out overnight.
On the morning of surgery, give your pet their fear-free medication. If needed, you may give a very small amount of food, such as 1 teaspoon of peanut butter or ¼ of a slice of bread or cheese, to help your pet take their medication. If your pet is on a special diet for medical reasons and this is all he or she eats, please bring a small amount with you on the day of surgery so we can offer some once your companion is fully awake.
On the morning of surgery, give your pet their fear-free medication. If needed, you may give a very small amount of food, such as 1 teaspoon of peanut butter or ¼ of a slice of bread or cheese, to help your pet take their medication. If your pet is on a special diet for medical reasons and this is all he or she eats, please bring a small amount with you on the day of surgery so we can offer some once your companion is fully awake.
Food
The night before surgery, your pet is free to eat and drink as usual. Close to bedtime, give your pet their premedication, and pick up their food bowl. Please do not feed anything after 10 pm. A very small amount of water (approximately ¼ cup per 20 pounds) may be left out overnight.
On the morning of surgery, give your pet their fear-free medication. If needed, you may give a very small amount of food, such as 1 teaspoon of peanut butter or ¼ of a slice of bread or cheese, to help your pet take their medication. If your pet is on a special diet for medical reasons and this is all he or she eats, please bring a small amount with you on the day of surgery so we can offer some once your companion is fully awake.
On the morning of surgery, give your pet their fear-free medication. If needed, you may give a very small amount of food, such as 1 teaspoon of peanut butter or ¼ of a slice of bread or cheese, to help your pet take their medication. If your pet is on a special diet for medical reasons and this is all he or she eats, please bring a small amount with you on the day of surgery so we can offer some once your companion is fully awake.
When to Arrive
On the day of surgery, please plan to arrive at your previously discussed check-in time, which should be between 7:00 am and 7:30 am. At this time, a nurse will admit your pet, go over an estimate, and address any questions or concerns you may have. Please allow 15 to 20 minutes so that we can properly admit your pet.
We begin surgical procedures shortly after 8:00 am. During this time, a nurse may not be immediately available to admit your pet. This is why, unless other arrangements have been made, we need you to bring your pet in by 7:30 am.
Your pet’s doctor will call you after surgery to let you know how the procedure went and to discuss when you can pick them up. Please know that the doctor may not be able to call you until lunchtime. This does not mean that anything went wrong or that you should worry. It simply means that the doctor is still doing surgeries and cannot get to the phone.
We begin surgical procedures shortly after 8:00 am. During this time, a nurse may not be immediately available to admit your pet. This is why, unless other arrangements have been made, we need you to bring your pet in by 7:30 am.
Your pet’s doctor will call you after surgery to let you know how the procedure went and to discuss when you can pick them up. Please know that the doctor may not be able to call you until lunchtime. This does not mean that anything went wrong or that you should worry. It simply means that the doctor is still doing surgeries and cannot get to the phone.
When to Arrive
On the day of surgery, please plan to arrive at your previously discussed check-in time, which should be between 7:00 am and 7:30 am. At this time, a nurse will admit your pet, go over an estimate, and address any questions or concerns you may have. Please allow 15 to 20 minutes so that we can properly admit your pet.
We begin surgical procedures shortly after 8:00 am. During this time, a nurse may not be immediately available to admit your pet. This is why, unless other arrangements have been made, we need you to bring your pet in by 7:30 am.
Your pet’s doctor will call you after surgery to let you know how the procedure went and to discuss when you can pick them up. Please know that the doctor may not be able to call you until lunchtime. This does not mean that anything went wrong or that you should worry. It simply means that the doctor is still doing surgeries and cannot get to the phone.
We begin surgical procedures shortly after 8:00 am. During this time, a nurse may not be immediately available to admit your pet. This is why, unless other arrangements have been made, we need you to bring your pet in by 7:30 am.
Your pet’s doctor will call you after surgery to let you know how the procedure went and to discuss when you can pick them up. Please know that the doctor may not be able to call you until lunchtime. This does not mean that anything went wrong or that you should worry. It simply means that the doctor is still doing surgeries and cannot get to the phone.
Things to Consider Prior to Arrival
Anesthesia Consent Form: Please read our anesthesia consent form, which can be found on our website. It explains our recommendations for screening patients before they go under anesthesia. If there is anything you don’t understand, please discuss it with our team. We will review the form with you during patient check-in.
Deposit: If your pet is having an operation that is not routine and does not have a set price (anything other than a neuter, spay, or routine dental), we will provide you with an estimate on the day of surgery so that you can review the anticipated charges. Once accepted, we will collect a deposit of 50% of the estimated cost. The remaining balance will be due for all patients when the pet is picked up. We are, unfortunately, not able to make any exceptions to this policy. We do not offer in-house financing, but we do accept all major credit cards (Mastercard, Visa, Discover, American Express) and certain Care Credit plans. Please check with a receptionist to learn which Care Credit plans we offer.
Microchipping: We recommend microchipping for all of our patients. If your pet ever gets lost, these permanent chips can provide shelters, veterinarians, etc. with your name, address, and phone number so that your companion can be returned to you safely and quickly. If you choose to have your pet microchipped, we will register them with Home Again using the address and phone number we have on file. Whether you decide to register the following year is up to you, but your pet will remain in the database indefinitely. Please remember to update your contact information if it changes.
Contact Information and Pick-Up: Please be prepared to provide us with all the contact numbers needed to get in touch with you at any time throughout the day of surgery. Also, please bring emergency contact information in case we are unable to contact you. A doctor or nurse will call you after surgery to let you know how your pet is doing and to confirm a pick-up time. In almost all cases, pick-up is after 2 pm.
Deposit: If your pet is having an operation that is not routine and does not have a set price (anything other than a neuter, spay, or routine dental), we will provide you with an estimate on the day of surgery so that you can review the anticipated charges. Once accepted, we will collect a deposit of 50% of the estimated cost. The remaining balance will be due for all patients when the pet is picked up. We are, unfortunately, not able to make any exceptions to this policy. We do not offer in-house financing, but we do accept all major credit cards (Mastercard, Visa, Discover, American Express) and certain Care Credit plans. Please check with a receptionist to learn which Care Credit plans we offer.
Microchipping: We recommend microchipping for all of our patients. If your pet ever gets lost, these permanent chips can provide shelters, veterinarians, etc. with your name, address, and phone number so that your companion can be returned to you safely and quickly. If you choose to have your pet microchipped, we will register them with Home Again using the address and phone number we have on file. Whether you decide to register the following year is up to you, but your pet will remain in the database indefinitely. Please remember to update your contact information if it changes.
Contact Information and Pick-Up: Please be prepared to provide us with all the contact numbers needed to get in touch with you at any time throughout the day of surgery. Also, please bring emergency contact information in case we are unable to contact you. A doctor or nurse will call you after surgery to let you know how your pet is doing and to confirm a pick-up time. In almost all cases, pick-up is after 2 pm.
Pet Surgery in Swansea
When your pet needs surgery in Swansea, Belleville, Shiloh, Fairview Heights, or the surrounding areas, trust Best Friends Animal Hospital and Pet Resources. Call now to learn more or to schedule an appointment or consultation.
Compassionate Veterinary Care
We Treat Your Pet as Our Own!
We Treat Your Pet as Our Own!
Best Friends Animal Hospital and Pet Resort provides pet surgery in Swansea, Belleville, Shiloh, Fairview Heights, and the surrounding areas.
