Dog Surgery: An Expert Guide to What to Expect (Vet-Approved) (2024)

Dog surgery can be a daunting experience for pet owners. While it’s common to feel emotional about leaving your pet at the veterinarian for an operation, understanding what to expect can help ease your worries. This guide will walk you through preparing for your dog’s surgery, what happens on the day of the surgery, post-surgery care, and common types of dog surgeries.

For detailed information on preparing your cat for surgery and post-operative care, visit our comprehensive guide on cat surgery.

First, help your veterinarian by preparing your pet properly for a surgical procedure.
You’d be amazed how many dogs are presented for an operation in a filthy state — yet surgery is a sterile procedure.

Yes, of course, the pet is prepped, clipped and scrubbed beforegoing under the scalpel. But if their background level of hygiene is “muddy,” then that animal spends unnecessary time under anesthetic just to get them clean enough to scrub up.

This is where the responsible humancomes in. Believe it or not, what you do (or don’t do) in the 24 hours leading up to an operation can make a difference inthe safety of your pet’s procedure.

When your dog is having surgery, never give food on the morning of the operation — unless, in extremely rare situations, you are instructed to do so by the vet.This rule applies to cats or dogs. (Rabbits or guinea pigs, for example, should never be starved for surgery.)

It is essential that dogs havean empty stomach when having an anesthetic because under anesthesia they lose the ability to swallow.

If the stomach contracts and forces vomit up into the mouth, the dog can’t swallow it back down into the stomach. If they don’t have a tube in their airway, there’s every chance of inhaling vomit down into the lungs.

If your pet has a special health condition in which withholding food is tricky (such as diabetes), then speak withyour vet to receiveclear instructions.

Starved animals can still get gastric reflux under anesthesia, but there’s less risk of serious complications when the stomach is empty.

Under an anesthetic, everything relaxes, including the valves that seal off the stomach. It’s not unusual that a little stomach acid leaks out into the gullet when the animal is asleep.

If the procedure is short, then the natural defenses of the esophagus keep the acid away from the delicate tissue.

However, for longer procedures, the pet can sometimes experience a condition akin to heartburn. The signs include a poor appetite post-surgery, drooling and retching after eating. This is usually easily treated with antacid medication.

So, bottom line: Take starving your pet ahead of surgery seriously.

Know that the vet has your back — we have protocols in place that anticipate problems such as gastric reflux, so there’s less chance of harm. However, let’s not make life more difficult or stressful than it has to be.

Give the clinic a contact phone number where you can be reached.

In addition, arrange your day so you are available to take a call at all times. Your availabilitycould make the difference between getting everything done under one anesthetic or needing a return trip and going through this prep all over again.

It’s a horrible feeling, to leave your pet for an operation.

It’s thatlump-in-the-throat feelingyou get when you walk in with your furbaby and then go home without them, even if it’s just for a few hours.

But please rest easy knowing your pet is in good hands. Let’s go oversome of the unseen actions that make your pet’s stay as comfortable as possible on the day of surgery:

Pre-anesthetic blood tests are an important part of a workup, especially in older patients.

These tests tell us if there are any problems that need attentionfirst, such as mild dehydration or tired kidneys, and alert us to problems with the potential to cause anesthetic complications.

However, not all patients understand it’s for their own good and are naturally less than enthusiastic about the needle.

Enter the trusty vet tech. She’s already sussed out the stressed cats and applied EMLA cream as they come out of the carrier so they don’t feel the needle. EMLA cream is a local anesthetic cream that numbs the skin.

This means that, with gentle handling and keeping things low key, the cats don’t even realize they’ve had blood drawn.

Most clinics run blood in-house, and it takes 20 minutes or so to get the results back. Meanwhile, your pet waits in a comfy bed, still feeling miffed about that overlooked meal.

Animals feel pain just as people do. Fortunately, we have the tools to help lessen it.

It is routine to give pain-relieving medication well in advance of aprocedure so those nerve endings never get fired up to their full potential.

But the story doesn’t end there. Careful thought is given to the nature of the pain and how long it will last. This may mean:

If your pet doesn’t like being in a bed in the kennel right before surgery, don’t be surprised if the practice manager lets them sleep on a special bed right by their feet.

Other examples of staff’s common sense and compassion go on all the time, such as taking dogs for regular toilet breaks.

Progressive vet practices follow the example of gold-standard human hospitals.

This means all patients havea checklist protocol attached to their bed so each staffmember knows exactly what’s been given and when, and any concerns about the patient are flagged.

For example, the surgeon may know the exact time a dog had their pre-med, what drugs were given, and who gave them. The surgeon may also know, for example, that thepre-op check was normal although the dog had been breathing heavily in bed — hence the dog’s move to the special bed in the practice manager’s office.

And the attention to detail doesn’t stop there. It continues with the anesthetic monitoring chart, which details drugs given, amounts, and times, and records oxygen levels, heart rate, and respiratory rate.

But above all, understand thattruly caring peopleare watching over your pet at all times. From sitting with animalsduring recovery to taking them fortoilet breaks, veterinary staff members giveoutstanding, dedicated care to pets like yours who need comfort during trying times.

The blood test results help the vet decide on the drugs and dose for the pre-med injection, which prepares the patient for an anesthetic.

The pre-med is part sedative and part pain relief. It reduces the amount of anesthetic needed and makes for greater stability. If your pet’s surgery is very painful, extra pain relief is given now to stop the pain before it starts.

Depending on drugs, dose and delivery method, the pre-med takes a few minutes or up to half an hour to work. During this time, your pet rests quietly in their bed, still feeling hungry but increasingly sleepy.

Once the patient is sufficiently relaxed, they’re ready for the anesthetic. This is done in a prep room just outside the sterile operating room.

Squishy-faced breeds, such as Pugs, Bulldogs and Boxers, may be given oxygen via a face mask for several minutes immediately before their anesthetic, which ensures their blood is rich in oxygen before they go to sleep.

Your pet is given a short-acting anesthetic injection into the catheter, which gives enough time to slide a tube into their windpipe. Anesthetic gas is delivered via this tube, and the pet stays asleep.

A vet tech monitors the pet duringthe anesthetic. In addition, equipment measures blood pressure and heart rate plus oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, which helps detect problems early and stabilize the patient.

The surgery is over!The anesthetic gas is turned off, and your pet wakes up.

Your pet is kept warm on a heating pad or with blankets with someone by their side until they’re fully awake, sitting up, and responsive.

When both the vet and vet tech are happy your patient is doing well, the pet goes back to bed for further monitoring.

Your pet is up on their paws after having relieved themselves in the clinic’s yard and eaten a littlefood (yay, breakfast at long last!).

One last check from the vet, and all being well, your pet gets to go home andback into your loving care for recuperation.

And the best thing is … you’rereally, really sorry about the skipped food thing and make up for it with lots ofpetsand kisses. But, of course, that’s not all. Now the real work begins.

Take a copy home with you. Take notes. And never be embarrassed to ask questions!

It seems that the hardest but most critical things to be strict with are the E collar, diet and confinement.

Sure, nobody really loves the E collar — also known as the Elizabethan collar, plastic cone, lamp shade or cone of shame. But it is the only sure way to prevent your pet from licking or chewing the incision or bandage, thereby allowing proper healing. Sometimes E collars are used to prevent pawing at a wound or scratching it — for example, on the head.

Diet after your pet has surgery can vary greatly depending on what was done.

It might begin with a bland, home-cooked diet, such as lean chicken and rice. The amount of food, number of meals and changes to a special diet will be decided by your vet.

Examples include food specifically designed for weight loss, to prevent bladder stones from coming back or to help with arthritis. You may need to “baby” your pet for a few days with hand feeding.

Now, why do vets often recommend weight loss?

Well, look at it this way: One recent study showed that overweight pets live an average of 1.8 years less than thin pets.

In addition, overweight animals are more at risk for arthritis, heart disease, cancer, torn ligaments, hormonal imbalances, skin conditions, etc.

In other words, excessive weight or obesity decreases the quality and quantity of life (or life span).

Confinement may be another challenge — most dogs or cats are used to having free range of the house.

“Please keep your pet confined to a small space for 8 weeks after surgery. Leash-walk only for elimination purposes.” This instruction seems simple — but it’s one of the hardest things for owners to understand.

Confined means confined. Not “Oh, he stays near me in the house, anyway,” or “He doesn’t usually run around when he’s outside to go potty” or “His (doggy) brother will be sad that he can’t play. Maybe I’ll just let them be together for a few minutes.”

The good news is that confinement rarely has to be a tiny crate or carrier. The space should be proportionate to the size of your pet.

For example, a small dog could be confined to a play pen (upside down so they don’t try to jump out) that can conveniently be moved so your pet is always near you. A medium to large dog may be kept in a small room or in a gated area.

If you have smaller animals, they also need special care after surgery.

Some temporary rearranging may be necessary so there is no furniture, no steps, no slippery floors. Your vet will let you know how long confinement is needed, based on your pet’s particular surgery and post-op needs. Recovery from a severe fracture will take longer than a spay or a neuter.

The big message is this: It’s important to keep your pet confined after surgery because we can’t convince them to take it easy — we must force them to be quiet for their own good.

Confinement does not have to be a life-shattering or depressing situation. Depending on your pet’s personality, you might want to overcompensate by showering the pet with TLC.

Find every opportunity to spend quality time with them. Make excuses. Be creative. Call in sick (just kidding).

Think of anything you can do next to your pet, including making phone calls, texting, reading a book or a magazine, online shopping, crafting and taking a nap. You may give your dog a chew toy — as long as they don’t destroy it and swallow the pieces!

One of the most frustrating parts of a veterinary surgeon’s job is to protect thepatients’ incisions so they heal quickly and uneventfully.

This is not an easy job because, well, we’redealing with animals. Sometimes, would you believe they just don’t listen to us?

With any luck,your pet is sent home with a problem-free incision. If the incision is too tight, was not sutured properly or gets infected, though, problems will occur, even if you do followinstructions.

You would think that when people spend several thousand dollars to have surgery for their pet, they would follow post-op instructions conscientiously. Sadly, not all of them do.

Sometimes they get away with it — and sometimes they don’t. When things don’t go well, the one who pays the price is the poor dog or cat.

Certain areas of the body are more problematic than others in terms of healing.

Your vet should go over the possible complications with you before surgery to prepare youfor the aftermath.

Thepatient should be in as healthy a state as possible before surgery. Try tokeep your pet hydrated, on a balanced diet and at a healthy weight.

After surgery, check with your vet immediately if you think an incision doesn’t look good. Send a picture or schedule a brief appointment. This is truly a case where early intervention will ward off a much bigger problem.

Leave thevet’s office with clear and concise instructions about how to monitor your pet and the incision.

Protecting theincision and restricting exercise are the cornerstones of a speedy recovery.

Everyone hates Ecollars. Of course, you feel so bad that your pet had to go through surgery, but now — to add insult to injury — you stick their head in a bucket.

It breaks your heart. But we can all remember that annoying phrase from childhood: “It’s for your own good.” The Ecollar is one of those “for your own good” experiences.

We have no way of communicating to your pet that licking an incision can cause irritation, infection and tissue damage. The only reasonable way we can help is to create an actual physical barrier between them and what they cannot disturb.

One of the softer collars may prevent your dog from licking the incision, but these collars have limitations. Have your vet check that thecollargives your pet the right protection from self-trauma.

Picture this: The patient’s dressing is gray with road dirt. The bandage feels damp.

Removing the first layer of bandage, we find that the padding underneath is sodden, like cotton wool soaked in water (which is precisely what it is), only gray. The padding tears away to reveal swollen skin, thanks to the constant contact with water.

When you soak in the bath, your fingertips become wrinkled and prune-like. For a dog or cat’s paw, this exact process weakens the skin and leads to infection.

The key message here: When it’s wet out, cover the dressing to keep it dry.