Pet Surgery and Dental Services in the Moncton, Riverview, and Dieppe Area

We recommend your dog or cat be spayed (ovariohysterectomy) between 5 and 6 months of age. We recommend spaying because:

• Prevention of some cancers
• Unwanted puppies/kittens
• Cats- irregular and often frequent heat cycles which make your cat very noisy!
• Possible urine marking
• Prevention of pyometra
  •  The uterus is filled with bacteria, toxins, pus and dying tissue
  • Without treatment death can occur
  • Treatment is an emergency spay, with an animal that is ill, this becomes a higher anesthetic risk and is usually more costly
• Reduce certain behavioural issues (aggression, humping, etc.)

What We Do:

• Once she is here at the hospital, she will have a presurgical exam done by the veterinarian. At this time, preoperative blood work will be done.
• After this, she is given an injection with a sedative and pain medication. This allows her to relax and helps to alleviate a lot of the pain during the surgery so less gas anesthetic will be needed. We then wait 10-20 minutes for this to take effect.
• Next, she is placed on intravenous (IV) fluids which will help to regulate her blood pressure while she is anesthetized, will keep her hydrated and allow for direct access to a vein in case of an emergency. Anesthesia is induced with an IV injection, followed by intubation so she receives gas anesthetic and oxygen directly into their lungs.
• Prepping for surgery now begins. We shave and vacuum the skin where the incision will be made; this is larger than the surgery site to prevent hair and debris from getting in the incision. They are moved to the surgery suite and then they are hooked to blood pressure and oxygen monitors. A surgical scrub is used to sterilize the incision site.
• The veterinarian then comes dressed in a cap, mask, sterile gown and sterile gloves. The ovaries and uterus are tied off and cut out. The abdomen is sutured closed. During this whole procedure, a registered veterinary technician is closely monitoring & charting her vitals, heart rate and blood pressure. She will receive a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory injection for post-operative pain and inflammation. We closely monitor your pet until completely recovered from anesthesia.
• We like to keep our surgery patients until they are alert and able to walk well, so they usually spend the day here with us! She will be sent home with 4 days’ worth of pain medication to help with her healing.
• A common concern for owners is: will she get fat and lazy? The estrogens in the body have a natural appetite suppressing effect and the loss of it may increase her appetite. It may be a good idea to switch to a “lite” diet and monitor her portion.

Our veterinarians and team will recommend your male kitten to be neutered between the ages of 5-6 months old because:

• Reduces the urge to roam
  
  •  They roam looking for a mate. This can be reduced in 90% of the cats with neutering & 60% will stop right away
• Less fighting/aggression
• Less tendency for urine spraying
• Decreases the amount of unwanted kittens
• Reduces the chance for certain cancers

What We Do:

• Once he is admitted to the hospital, he will have a preoperative exam done by our veterinarian. If chosen, preoperative blood work will be completed.
• If blood work results are within normal limits, your cat will be given an injection with a sedative and pain medication. This helps them to relax and alleviates a lot of the pain during the surgery and less gas anesthetic will be needed. After a 10-20 minutes wait for the sedation to take effect, intravenous (IV) fluids are started. IV fluids will help to regulate their blood pressure, keep them hydrated and allow for direct access to their vein in case of an emergency.
• Anesthesia is induced by an injection followed by placement of tube into the trachea (intubation) for the delivery of gas anesthesia and oxygen to the lungs to maintain anesthesia as necessary.
• The testicles are prepped by hair removal and a testicular block (local anesthetic is placed directly into the testicles) is performed; this not only helps with pain but can reduce the chance of licking at the incision. Your cat will be moved to the surgical suite where he is connected to blood pressure and heart monitors. A surgical scrub is done to sterilize the incision site and then the veterinarian comes in wearing a cap, mask and sterile gloves. Then a small incision into the scrotum is done, the testicles are exposed, the spermatic cord and artery are tied off and the testicle is removed. Since the skin incision is so small, no sutures are needed and the incision heals on its own. During this whole procedure, a registered veterinary technician is closely monitoring the vitals which include blood pressure and heart rate. We closely monitor your pet until completely recovered from anesthesia. He receives a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory injection to alleviate post-operative pain and inflammation. He will also go home with 4 days’ worth of pain medication for added pain relief.

We recommend having your small dog neutered between 5-6 months old and discuss when to neuter your large breed puppy with your veterinarian. We recommend neutering because:

• Less chance of developing some types of cancer
• Neutered dogs live 40% longer than unneutered males according to the Pet Health Network
• Less likely to go roaming for a mate, aggression towards other male dogs is decreased, urine marking is significantly decreased as well as mounting (humping) behaviours
• Preputial discharge is minimized
• To decrease the number of unwanted dogs

What We Do:

• After being admitted to the hospital, he will have a preoperative exam done by the veterinarian. At this time, presurgical bloodwork would be done. If blood work results are within normal limits, he would be given an injection with a sedative and pain medication. This allows them to relax and helps to alleviate a lot of the pain during the surgery. After allowing 10-20 minutes for this to take effect, he would be placed on intravenous fluids which will help to regulate his blood pressure, keep him hydrated and allow direct access to a vein.
• Next, a medication is given intravenously to induce anesthesia, followed by placement of an endrotracheal tube into the airway (intubation), to deliver gas anesthetic and oxygen directly to their lungs. Prepping for surgery begins with shaving and vacuuming the hair from a large area directly in front of the testicles to prevent hair and debris from getting into the incision. A testicular block (local anesthetic placed into the testicles) is then done. This helps with pain but also reduces the chance of licking at this incision. Your dog will be moved into the surgery suite where he will be connected to a blood pressure and heart monitor.
• A surgical scrub is done to sterilize the incision site and then the veterinarian comes in wearing a cap, mask and sterile gloves to begin the surgery. The incision is made in front of the testicles, the testicles are brought outside. The blood vessel and spermatic cord are tied off and cut. The incision is then sutured closed. During this whole procedure, a registered veterinary technician is closely monitoring their vitals which include their blood pressure & heart rate. We closely monitor your pet until completely recovered from anesthesia.
• A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory injection is given to help alleviate post-operative pain and inflammation. You will be sent home with 4 days’ worth of pain medication.
• We like to keep our surgery patients until they are alert & able to walk well, so, they usually spend the day with us!

• Food: We recommend starting to feed a small amount of food in the later afternoon or during suppertime. Sometimes, the anesthesia will make them nauseous, so, if they vomit after their small meal, it is best to wait until the following morning and feed their regular meal then. If there is no vomiting, you may offer more food later on in the evening and keep the amount small.
• Exercise: Your pet has had surgery, even if it was “just” a spay or neuter, it is a major surgery. Strict exercise is needed. Leash walks only… no running/jumping/dog parks/laser pointers or off-leash exercise for 10-14 days.
• No baths/swimming for 10-14 days.
• Keep a close watch on their incision. Any redness/swelling/discharge, please contact us. No licking, this cannot be stressed enough; licking irritates the skin causing problems with healing. If they are licking, an Elizabethan collar or After Surgery Wear are recommended.
• If external sutures are present, removal of the sutures is at 10-14 days after surgery.
• Pain medication: Most pets are sent home with additional pain medication. Please check with our care team for when and how much pain medication to give.
• Sometimes, the sedation may cause some restlessness. This is usually not pain related as they’ve received lots of pain medication. Please do not give another dose of medication if it is not indicated on their discharge instruction. It will/can take time for all the anesthesia to come out of their system. Lots of pets have euphoria (excessive whining or pacing, etc) as a side effect of their medication.
• Any concerns/questions, please don’t hesitate to call.

Dental disease affects roughly 70-85% of pets over the age of 1 year. With a dental surgery we are hoping to prevent/extend the health of your pet and their overall health. Clinical signs that will prompt a veterinarian to recommend dental surgery:

• Halitosis (bad breath)
• Swollen gums
• Painful drooling
• Difficulty chewing
• Anorexia

What We Do:

• After being admitted to the hospital, he will have a preoperative exam done by the veterinarian. At this time, if you choose to, preoperative blood work (recommended with any anesthetic) would be done.
• If blood work results were within normal limits, he would be given an injection with a sedative and pain medication. This allows them to relax and helps to alleviate a lot of the pain during the surgery so less gas anesthesia will be needed. After allowing 10-20 minutes for this to take effect, he would be placed on intravenous fluids (which are also recommended with any anesthesia, if IV fluids are not chosen, we will still place an IV catheter , without the fluids, to have direct access to the vein.
• Next, a medication is given intravenously to induce anesthesia, followed by placement of an endotracheal tube into the airway (intubation), to deliver gas anesthetic and oxygen directly to their lungs. The endotracheal tube will also help to prevent aspiration (breathing in liquid into the lungs) as there will be water & dental paste in the mouth.
• The dentistry now begins. A technician starts by removing the hard calculus and plaque from the teeth with an ultrasonic scaler. Once this is completed hand scaling is done to remove any leftover plaque/tartar that the ultrasonic scaler did not get. Polishing is next. The veterinarian comes to inspect the teeth checking for root exposure, cavities, abnormalities, gingivitis, mobility, etc. If extractions are needed, they would be done by a veterinarian at this time. During this entire procedure, a technician is closely monitoring their vitals, heart rate, blood pressure & oxygen levels and recording it. An antibiotic injection and/or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory are given if there were extractions or gingivitis. A technician monitors your pet until he/she has recovered from anesthesia.
• A common thought amongst people is that my pet does not seem bothered by their teeth. Although they may not show discomfort, having problems with their mouth can be quite painful. The bacteria (this makes up the plaque/tartar) not only affects their mouth but also can affect their heart, kidneys and other organs. It can affect you as well with breathing in the bacteria and they are most likely giving us kisses!

• Food: We recommend by starting to feed a small amount of food initially. Sometimes the anesthesia can make them nauseous, if they vomit after their small meal, it is best to wait until the following morning to feed their regular meal then. If there is no vomiting, you can offer more food later in the day.
  • Wet food (be it canned or moistened kibble)may be best to feed as they are usually tender after a dental or have had dental extractions for 3-4 days (possibly more days).
  • In some cases, especially if there were extractions, there may be a bloody tinge to your pet’s saliva (or in their water dish) for a day or so. However, if you notice a large amount, please contact us.
• Exercise: is best to be restricted for that evening as they may be drowsy from their day at the hospital and the anesthetic.
• Pain medication: Please check with our veterinary care team for when and how much of pain medication to give.
• We want them up, eating, drinking/drinking, walking around the following day. If there is a problem, please contact us.
• We offer a complimentary dental recheck with a technician 2 weeks after the dental surgery.