Elective surgeries are optional procedures that are requested by their pet owners. These include surgeries such as spaying and neutering as well as select dental procedures.
What Should I expect for the Surgery?
Before any form of elective surgery, it is essential to have a pre-operational consultation with your veterinarian to ensure that surgery is the right option for your pet. Most pre-operational consultations include a look at your pet’s health and checkup history to determine your pet’s preparedness, and expectations during the course of the operation.
Before the surgery occurs, you should take the following questions into consideration to optimize your understanding of the process.
- Will your pet require anesthesia?
- Will blood pressure support and emergency IV be at the disposal of your pet?
- Will there be someone to assist the vet during the surgery to look after the pet’s needs?
- Will your pet receive any analgesics during or after surgery?
Most elective surgeries are quick with same-day recovery time and does not involve much pain.
This simplicity however, should not limit the questions you have for your vet. If you have concerns, raise them with your pet’s primary care vet to eliminate potential complications.
What are the benefits of Elective surgery?
Elective surgeries, while not imperative, can transform your pet’s life in a positive way. Some of the benefits of elective surgery include:
- A healthier lifestyle for your pet
- Prevents against infections, illnesses and disease
- Less desire to roam the streets (spaying/neutering)
- Reduction in unwanted pregnancies (spaying and neutering)
- Lost pet identification via tattooing or microchipping
- Relieving discomfort for your pet
Elective surgeries can also help to facilitate unwanted behaviour and is sometimes used as a tool to curb misbehaving pets.
While these surgeries are optional, after a certain period of time, pet owners make the decision to move forward with these surgical procedures because they ultimately feel it is in their pet’s best interest.
Learn about soft tissue surgery.
