At Vet HQ we are able to offer you the best in subspecialist veterinary surgery in Sydney. I have completed my Memberships to the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Surgeons. I have worked with and continue to work closely with a specialist surgeon in Crows Nest and feel comfortable in performing most orthopaedic and soft tissue surgeries. Please call or make an appointment to discuss your pet’s surgical needs.
Pre-Anaesthetic Consent Form
Save time by printing out and filling in the Pre-Anaesthetic Consent Form before your pet comes in for surgery. Please click HERE to download and print our Pre-Anaesthetic Consent Form
Planning for surgery at Vet HQ
Here are some notes that will help you prepare your pet for surgery at Vet HQ.
We have scheduled your pet for hospitalisation and an anaesthetic. Here are some notes to prepare you for the procedure.
The procedure that your pet has been scheduled should have been outlined in detail with an estimate given by your Veterinarian. If you have any questions regarding the procedure please make an admission appointment or discuss with the Nurse on duty at admission.
We ask that all animals be presented for day surgery prior to 9.30am. This is to ensure a thorough physical examination and appropriate pre operative treatments can be performed. The ‘list’ for the day is not finalised until the morning due to the emergency nature of the hospital. Therefore all attempts will be made to stick to a time but we can not guarantee this. Our Nursing staff will call you if surgery has been delayed. You will receive a phone call from your Vet at the end of surgery and a discharge time will be made with either the Nurse or Vet.
You will be asked at admission if you would like us to perform a pre anaesthetic blood test. This enables us to be as sure as we can your pet is 100% healthy. Please consider this prior to admission and ask us any questions you have.
Notes to Remember:
- No food after 10pm the night before surgery
- Water is fine up to admission
- Please mention any prior adverse reactions or allergies known
Pre-Anaesthetic testing helps us care for your pet
When your place your pet in our hands you trust us to provide your pet with the best possible medical care. In order to offer you the peace of mind you deserve, we recommend pre-anaesthetic testing prior to placing your pet under anaesthetic.
Anaesthesia for pets is extremely safe, with only minimal risks for your pet, providing the animal is healthy. However, if your pet is not ‘healthy’ complications can occur both during and after the anaesthetic procedure. While the detailed physical examination and your pet’s history provide us with valuable information about your pet’s health status it is impossible to get a complete physiological picture without performing further tests. An animal’s appearance of health may be misleading. For example a pet can lose up to 75% of kidney function before showing any signs of illness. Also, at times sick pets will ‘hide’ their sickness due to an ancient instinct to protect themselves (from predators, which target the sick and weak).
Pre-anaesthetic testing can reveal abnormal levels of blood chemicals that may indicate health problems that have not yet manifested as clinical signs. This in turn allows us to adjust the general anaesthetic to minimise risks for your pet. If the test results are not within the normal ranges we may provide additional medical support during the procedure or postpone it altogether in order to address the health issues and medically treat your pet in preparation for its surgical procedure.
Although performing these tests cannot guarantee the absence of complications it can significantly minimise the risk to your pet and provide you and us with peace of mind.
These are some of the tests, which we may recommend for your pet:
Blood Chemistry
Blood chemistry tests provide information concerning your pet’s vital organs, such as the kidneys, liver, pancreas, thyroid, parathyroid and intestinal tract. These tests can also indicate conditions such as anaemia and dehydration as well as endocrine diseases and certain types of tumours.
Complete Blood Cell Count (CBC)
The CBC provides information concerning the various types of blood cells. The red blood cells (RBC’s) carry oxygen to the tissue of the body. White blood cells (WBC’s) are the body’s primary defense against infection. Platelets play a major role in the blood clotting process and are essential for halting the bleeding process.
Urinalysis
The Urinalysis provides important information about the functioning capacity of the kidneys. In addition, the urine contains by-products from many organs and abnormal levels of these by-products can indicate disease such as liver and kidney disease or diabetes.
Electrolytes
In order to maintain life, the appropriate balance of electrolytes is vital. Certain diseases or conditions may result in electrolyte imbalances that could compromise a pet’s health and ultimately become life threatening.
Other Tests
Depending on you pet’s age, history and physical exam, an ECG (electrocardiogram) or serum thyroid levels may be recommended.
If you have any further questions please talk to one of our vets or vet nurses.