Before & After Surgery

General Surgery Preparation & Recovery Guide

Everything you need to know to confidently care for your pet before and after their surgical procedure.

Preparing Your Pet for Surgery

At Belmont Vet Hospital, we understand that preparing your pet for general surgery can feel overwhelming. Our goal is to make the process smooth and stress-free for both you and your pet. Below are the key steps to follow before and after your pet’s procedure.

The Day Before Surgery
Fasting – No Food After Midnight

Your pet must have an empty stomach before undergoing general anaesthesia. Anaesthetic drugs can cause vomiting, increasing the risk of aspiration pneumonia. Please remove all access to food from midnight the night before surgery. If your pet eats after this time, notify our team as soon as possible.

Please allow your pet to toilet before arriving. This helps reduce the chance of accidents during surgery and recovery.

To minimise the risk of infection:

  • Avoid swimming or muddy play the day before surgery

  • Bathe or brush your pet beforehand if needed

  • Keep flea treatments up to date

Let us know if your pet is on any medications. Some medications—such as insulin or heart medications—must still be administered prior to surgery. We will advise you on the correct timing and dose.

Dog being examined with a stethoscope

Combine Other Procedures with Surgery

While your pet is under anaesthesia, it may be an ideal time to complete additional procedures, such as:

  • Microchipping
  • Heartworm testing
  • Vaccinations
  • Baby tooth removal
  • Dewclaw removal
  • Umbilical hernia repair
  • Ear clean and pluck
  • Nail trim
  • Anal gland check
  • Soft palate shortening or stenotic nares correction (for brachycephalic breeds)

Let our team know if you’d like any of these included.

On the Day of Surgery
Admission Process

You’ll receive a text message the day before with your pet’s admission time. Please allow 15 minutes on arrival. One of our surgical nurses—who will assist during the procedure—will admit your pet, check their vitals, and answer any final questions.

We perform pre-anaesthetic blood tests to assess kidney and liver function, as well as red and white blood cell levels. This helps ensure your pet is fit for anaesthesia. 

Your pet will receive:

  • A pre-medication injection (sedative + pain relief) to reduce anxiety and lower anaesthetic needs

  • An IV catheter placed in the leg to administer fluids and anaesthetic drugs

  • Anaesthetic via IV followed by intubation with a special tube connected to oxygen and anaesthetic gas

  • Continuous monitoring by a trained veterinary nurse throughout the procedure

If your pet is being desexed, a small black tattoo on the inside of the left ear will indicate this. You can opt out if preferred—just let us know.

Cat recovering post-surgery in a cage
After Surgery: Recovery & Home Care
Immediate Post-Surgery Care

After surgery, your pet receives an additional pain relief injection lasting 24 hours. Oral pain relief is also dispensed for home use. We’ll monitor for complications while your pet recovers in hospital.

Potential (but rare) complications include:

  • Hypothermia

  • Low blood pressure

  • Vomiting

  • Internal or external bleeding

  • Broken or loose sutures

  • Excessive swelling

Your pet will only be discharged when they are fully awake, stable, and able to walk.

It’s normal for pets to experience:

  • Grogginess

  • Decreased appetite for 24–48 hours

  • Fewer bowel movements for 1–2 days

  • Mild discomfort or bruising

  • A slight cough (due to the anaesthetic tube)

  • Clipper rash at the surgery site

To ensure proper healing:

  • Keep your pet calm and restrict activity

  • Leash walk only—no stairs or jumping

  • Offer small portions of water and food the night of surgery

  • Use clean bedding

  • Follow all medication instructions carefully

  • Use an Elizabethan collar or bodysuit if your pet tries to lick the wound

  • Check the sutures daily, keep the area clean and dry

  • Remove the bandage after 3 days (do not replace it)

  • No bathing or swimming until sutures are removed

  • Suture removal is usually scheduled 10–14 days post-surgery

  • Resume normal activity once the sutures are removed and the wound is healed

Call us on (02) 4945 9044 if you notice:

  • Excessive bruising or pain

  • Vomiting or loss of appetite beyond 48 hours

  • Infection signs (swelling, smell, discharge)

  • Chewed or broken sutures

  • No stools for 2+ days

  • Urinary incontinence

Our team is here to help—don’t hesitate to contact us with concerns during recovery.

Have a question?
Call the Belmont Vet Hospital team.

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