Standard of Care
At Union Hill Animal Hospital, we know that affordability for surgical and dental procedures is important. We try to make our estimates as cost-effective as possible, but we will not sacrifice the safety of our patients just to bring down the price.
Procedures requiring anesthesia, be it surgery or a dental prophylaxis, are performed regularly in most veterinary hospitals; but just because they are done often does not mean they should be considered routine (including spays and neuters). Any anesthetic procedure has a level of inherent risk, and minimizing those risks is important for the health and safety of your fur baby. After all, many people know someone who lost a pet during a “routine” dental cleaning, and these deaths are frequently caused by preventable problems.
When price-shopping for the least expensive quote, the lower cost can mean cutting corners on the quality, comfort and most importantly, safety of your fur baby.
At Union Hill Animal Hospital, we require the following for all of our patients prior to undergoing anesthesia.
-
Pre-surgical physical exam: performed just prior to the procedure to make sure the pet is healthy and can be anesthetized and operated on safely. A doctor
-
Complete blood work: allows us to screen for underlying illnesses that may not be detectable on physical exam. It also allows us to determine the best procedures to use for anesthesia and helps to tailor our pre- and post- operative medications so that we can provide pain relief and treatment without causing harm.
-
IV catheter: placed in all our patients prior to the induction of anesthesia. This is extremely important in case of an anesthetic emergency, so we have immediate access to administer life-saving medications.
-
IV fluids: maintain blood pressure and organ perfusion while helping to speed up anesthetic recovery times.
-
Pre-anesthetic medications: given to all animals prior to surgical procedures. These medications will cause sleepiness, provide pain relief and help with after-anesthesia nausea, making for a calm, relaxed pet and allowing for a smooth transition into full anesthesia.
There is also a difference at Union Hill Animal Hospital during the surgery/dental.
Anesthesia Monitoring: Every pet under anesthesia has a trained Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) and a veterinary assistant whose job during the procedure is to monitor the level of anesthesia and the vital signs of the patient. Instruments utilized include an ECG (electrocardiogram), a blood pressure monitor, a pulse oximeter, a respiratory monitor (capnograph) and a core body thermometer. We constantly record these measurements during the procedure, which allows us to assess the depth of anesthesia and the pets’ response- thus allowing us to detect problems BEFORE they become a danger to your pet.
Control of Body Temperature: During anesthesia, hypothermia (low body temperature) is common, and has been shown to cause prolonged recovery times, clotting abnormalities and cardiac arrhythmias. We employ multiple heating devices to maintain body temperature during and after the procedure.
Surgical Procedure & Equipment: Our doctors have received additional training in many techniques to ensure the best possible surgical & dental procedures are being performed. We utilize cutting edge equipment, like a surgical laser & electrocautery to reduce bleeding and pain. Digital dental radiographs allow us to assess hidden, possibly painful, dental disease (50% of the tooth lives hidden in bone).
Surgical Sterility: Our surgical procedures are performed in a closed, dedicated surgical suite- no dirty dogs on the table prior to opening a patient’s abdomen. Our surgical instruments are sterilized prior to EVERY procedure, and the suite is completely cleaned after EVERY procedure. This helps control the spread of disease and prevents costly post-operative infections.
Control of Pain: Pain control has only recently been recognized as a vital concern in veterinary medicine. It is not only important for a comfortable, happy patient; but also, to speed healing. We employ such techniques as local nerve blocks, as well as opioids, anti-inflammatory drugs and therapy laser, to prevent pain during the procedure and control its effects after.
While the above protocols and procedures are not absolutely necessary for anesthesia and surgery, they greatly help to reduce death from anesthesia, alleviate pain and suffering, and prevent complications. While some veterinary hospitals may regard them as “extras”, Union Hill Animal Hospital strives to provide the best and safest care possible to you and your pets.