During anaesthesia, monitoring (checking vital parameters) is carried out systematically. It allows the cardiac and respiratory function to be monitored, as well as the body temperature. After being anaesthetised, all our patients are intubated and they are kept under anaesthetic using gases. Depending on the circumstances, they may breathe by themselves or may be assisted by a respirator.
Post-operative infection prevention is safeguarded through the separation of premises and their respective ventilation systems being kept separate from other areas. Single-use linens and systematic autoclave sterilisation are used. The use of antibiotics is strictly monitored and adapted to each case. It is not surprising that in most cases, there will be no prescription for antibiotics when you pick up your animal.
Before any surgery takes place, you will meet a vet for a consultation. It is vital to discuss the surgical indication with you.
The preoperative report and the imaging examinations are therefore indispensable. This consultation is also the time for us to explain the different options available to you and their potential risks, as well as their cost. This is when we will be able to answer any questions you may have.
For a surgical procedure to take place under the best possible conditions, it must be part of an overall approach in collaboration with other medical disciplines. An evaluation of the specific clinical situation for your animal is essential, prior to the surgical decision being taken. The assessments are carried out in collaboration with the veterinarian treating your animal. They allow the different therapeutic options to be identified in order for them to be explained to you, and for the most appropriate solution to be chosen.
Once the surgical decision has been taken, your animal will be looked after by the surgical team and prepared for the procedure, the operation and post-operative hospitalisation. Surgical activity at Oncovet is organised in such a way as to offer your animal optimised hygiene, security and monitoring.
Pain relief is always included. For this purpose, following preoperative sedation, patients routinely receive treatment using a molecule from the morphine family. If required, anaesthesia is completed through the administration of anti-inflammatories and a local anaesthetic (nerve blocks). The immediate post-operative period is crucial for the success of the follow-up treatment. Monitoring signs of pain, reanimation if necessary and rapid intake of nutrition are all key factors for good recuperation.
During this period, we will keep you and your vet up to date with information concerning your animal’s illness. Each day, we will contact you to give you information concerning your pet.
Visits are, of course, permitted (12:00 to 17:00 daily). They are arranged with our administrative office so that we are able to welcome you as comfortably as possible. These visits are approved by the surgical team and do not involve direct discussion with the surgeon, who will be in the operating room during the visiting hours.
- Unless it is an emergency, your animal must not eat or drink from the evening before the procedure onwards;
- If the animal is receiving medical treatment, it is always best to ask us about the best time to administer the last treatment, and always ensure that you let us know about it;
- Once your animal has been discharged, involved instructions are sometimes given (e.g. taking your animal to your veterinarian...). It is very important to follow these instructions, as they are specifically adapted to your animal, on a case-by-case basis;
- Generally, your usual veterinarian will monitor your animal’s wound. However, sometimes, for complex surgical wounds (skin reconstruction, radiotherapy treatment), you will be asked to have the wounds monitored by an Oncovet surgeon.