The following outline has been prepared to familiarize you with our procedures while your pet is under our care.

A physical exam is performed by a doctor when your pet is admitted to our hospital. Any questions you have may be answered at this time. Each client will also be given a pager to allow us to contact you quickly if we have any further questions, or to let you know we need you to contact us.

Your pet is then transferred to a comfortable housing facility. Each housing unit is cleaned and sanitized daily.

Pre-surgical laboratory tests are performed and calculated dosages of injectable anesthetics are prepared. The necessary supplies for your pet's surgery are laid out.

Once the pre-surgical laboratory work is completed, your pet's anesthesia is induced. After your pet reaches a safe level of anesthesia, an endotracheal tube is passed and your pet is maintained with gas anesthetic and oxygen. The gas anesthesia used at Westarbor is the safest available and is used in the human field.

Next, a heart and respiratory monitor is attached to your pet and the surgical site is clipped free of hair. Following the clipping, your pet is moved to the surgical suite and placed on a recirculating hot water blanket to maintain proper body temperature throughout the procedure. The surgical area is then scrubbed clean with an antiseptic soap.

At Westarbor Animal Hospital, we use fresh, sterile equipment for EACH patient. This is not the case in all hospitals. This practice prevents the spread of disease and reduces the incidence of post-surgical infections.

Following the surgery your pet is given an injection for pain relief and transferred to a warm, comfortable housing facility to recover.

Many people wonder why their pets are discharged the same day of the surgery. We do this because we are not a 24-hour care facility. Therefore, no one is in the building overnight. We feel that it is safer for your pet to be at home where someone can monitor his or her progress throughout the night. The pet is usually more comfortable at home, and this practice reduces the anxiety of owners and their pets.

If we feel that your pet needs professional care and monitoring overnight, we will not hesitate to transfer him or her to an overnight veterinary care facility.

e-mail: westarbor1@tds.net site by nuance web design