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Surgical Procedures

At the Cat Clinic of Louisville, we understand that bringing your pet in for a surgical procedure can be scary. Anytime we have a cat under anesthesia it is our team’s top priority to keep them safe and healthy until they have fully recovered.

Before the Procedure

  • Do not feed your cat after 10pm the night before surgery as anesthesia can lead to nausea; small amounts of water are alright to give.

  • If your pet is on a daily medication dosage instruction may change for the day of procedure. Please contact the clinic ahead of time about any questions regarding medication.

  • Drop off for all surgical procedures is between 8:30 and 9 am. Please have your pet at the clinic by this time or let the clinic know of any issues regarding the arrival time. If a patient is late, it may be necessary to reschedule the procedure.​

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At drop-off, one of our veterinary technicians will begin first by asking questions regarding your pet’s health, go over the client consent form, discuss what treatments or procedures will be undergone today, and answer any questions you may have. Once the cat is taken back to the treatment area, we begin by getting a baseline of their heart rate, respiration, and temperature. We also recommend running blood work on any cat going under anesthesia to check for any underlying health issues. Once the preliminary check is completed, our surgeon will then perform a thorough physical examination, checking the heart, lungs, and the cat’s general health. It is our number one priority that your cat does well under anesthesia and recovers safely, so if at any point we find anything concerning, our doctor will give you a call to discuss next steps or other options.       

During the Procedure

Once the initial health check is complete, and everything is looking good, we will begin the preparation for surgery. We begin with an intramuscular sedative injection that helps relax the patient before being fully sedated. Every patient at this time has an IV catheter placed to provide easy access to fluids and medications if necessary. From this point on until the patient is safely recovered, all patients have a variety of warming instruments to keep their body temperatures at a normal level. Cats run hotter than humans and it is important to keep their body temperature at a steady level. Once the catheter is placed, an intravenous sedative is given, and a tracheal tube is placed by our veterinarian.

 

After the cat has been fully sedated, the area around the surgical spot will be shaved and scrubbed with surgical grade disinfectant. The patient is connected to monitoring equipment that tracks heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, temperature, etc. and is monitored by one of our veterinary technicians for the duration of the procedure. A patient is not left unattended at any point during our procedures until they are safely recovered. At this point, the surgeon will scrub in, making sure to wash her hands and arms, and begin the procedure.       

Going Home

Once the incision has been closed, and we are ready to wake up the patient, the area is cleaned and any inhalant sedative they were receiving is turned off. It is at this time that any injectable medications, vaccinations, microchip implantation, or subcutaneous fluids will be given to the patient; this varies depending on the procedure being performed. Cats normally wake up from anesthesia quickly, so it is not long before their tracheal tube is pulled, and they are transferred to a warm cage with comfortable blankets. We continue to monitor at this point, making sure they wake up without issue. Once the patient is safely recovered, one of our veterinary staff will call you and let you know how the procedure went and set up a time for pickup. Some procedures allow for the pet to go home the day of, but there are times they will have to stay overnight, this will be discussed with you beforehand. 

               

During discharge, one of our veterinary staff will go over any medications and instructions that are going home with the patient. This includes pain relief, anti-inflammatory medications, and antibiotics in some cases. Any change in feeding instructions will be discussed at pick up. With most surgeries, we want to recheck the incision a few weeks after surgery, so a time for a recheck appointment will also be discussed at pick up. A veterinary technician will also follow up with you the days following surgery to make sure the healing process is going well at home.

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