Surgery & your pet

Our mission at Greenfields Veterinary Hospital is to provide an excellent surgical and medical service to our patients along with outstanding customer service to their human companions.

Our highest priority is the safety and comfort of your pet when undergoing any procedure. Of course, every anaesthetic and surgical procedure carries some degree of risk. It is our aim to ensure that you, as an owner, are completely aware of the procedure being undertaken and any associated risks and are kept completely informed from start to finish.

In order to reduce the risk of complications associated with any sedation or anaesthetic, your veterinary surgeon will perform a thorough clinical examination and evaluation of your pet. Unfortunately, it is not possible to eliminate all the possible complications that may arise. To minimise potential risks, we recommend the following:

Pre-Anaesthetic Blood Screening

Our in-house laboratory allows us to analyse a blood sample taken from your pet on the day of surgery, checking liver and kidney function as well as performing a complete blood count, enabling our veterinarians and nurses to identify any potential problems prior to your pet going under anaesthesia, which could prevent serious complications arising.

Further testing may be recommended prior to surgery should the pre-anaesthetic blood screen indicate any problems.

Premium Care (for routine operations)

Here at Greenfields Veterinary Hospital, we ensure very high standards are maintained during any anaesthetic or surgical procedure including our routine desexings. All of our patients that come in for desexing are placed on intravenous (IV) fluids during the surgery and are sent home with extended pain relief and wound protection (Elizabethan collar, antibiotic lotion and anti-lick liquid).

The IV fluids support the body by maintaining blood pressure and increasing blood flow to all the internal organs. This helps our patients to flush out the anaesthetic drugs quicker achieving a faster and smoother recovery from the anaesthetic. In addition, having a preexisting IV line during the surgery enables our veterinarians to administer emergency treatment faster should any unforeseen problems arise.

Health Care

If your furry family members require any other health care procedure(s), such as booster vaccinations or a microchip, we can often provide this service at the same time as surgery. Not only is this more convenient for our clients, it also minimises any discomfort felt by our patients

Surgery Guidelines

On the day of surgery, please ensure your pet has been fasted for at least 12 hours. With-holding food for this period reduces the risk of vomiting or regurgitation during the procedure. If for any reason this is not the case, please bring it to our attention. Your pet can have access to fresh water up to and including the time of admission. Please also advise our staff if your pet is currently taking any medication prior to admitting them to hospital.

Surgical procedures are performed in one of our two specially equipped sterile surgical theatres. The patient’s surgical site is prepared by clipping the area and scrubbing with a surgical antiseptic solution. Potential infections from surgery can be greatly reduced by bathing and shampooing your pet on the day prior to admission to hospital. It is also important to let the staff know if your pet has been showing any signs of illness or lethargy over the previous 48 hours.

Advanced Surgery

If your pet requires advanced surgery, we encourage clients to have a pre-surgical consult with one of our veterinarians to ensure the procedure is completely understood and all questions answered before surgery, such that we can meet and exceed your expectations.

Post-Operative Care

At the time of discharge, the attending veterinarian or surgical nurse will discuss your pet’s procedure with you and if appropriate, will provide after care notes and handouts to take home. If at any stage, you have concerns regarding your pet’s progress or medication, please give the hospital a call on (08) 9581 7766.

Each patient and each procedure is managed on an individual basis to provide the highest level of care and best possible outcome. With your help as an owner, a successful and safe result can be achieved, and a rapid recovery will provide the best quality of life for your pet.

Payment

Wherever possible, an estimate of costs is always provided to our clients prior to procedures being performed. However, these may vary due to unforeseen circumstances.

All accounts are payable at the time of discharge. We accept cash, EFTPOS and VISA/Mastercard payments. The hospital also uses Vetpay and Zippay to assist clients who are experiencing financial constraints.

Our hospital receives no financial support from the Government or any charitable institutions, so prompt payment of fees enables us to continue providing our clients with the very best veterinary care.