Now Tiger Lily is relaxed enough to place the tube into her airway. The technician holds the head and the tongue so that the doctor or technician has a clear view of the back of the throat. In this picture Dr. Lawrence is spraying a numbing agent into the throat so that the tube passes easily into the airway. She is also using a special lighting device to have a better view.

The tube has been place in the airway and has been connected to the anesthesia machine (in the upper right hand corner). The patient is breathing a mixture of isoflurane and oxygen. To help monitor the patient's breathing a respiratory monitor is also used.

For most procedures an IV catheter is placed in a front leg vein prior to the procedure. This ensures that in case of an emergency we are able to get medications into the patient should it be necessary. For teeth cleaning and more minor procedures a temporary IV catheter is placed. For our senior patients or patients that are having more involved surgeries IV fluids may be administered through this catheter.

Dr. Lawrence is preparing for surgery by cleaning her fingernails and scrubbing her hands. She has her cap and mask on her face and will be putting on her surgical gown and sterile gloves. While Dr. Lawrence is getting prepped the patient's surgery site is being shaved and cleaned.

Tiger Lily has been moved to the surgery suite and has had her final prep of the surgical site. The brown spray on her abdomen is Betadine which helps clean the area before surgery starts. The patient is being monitored by a machine which will be described in the next picture. 

This is the screen for our multi-parameter monitor unit. This machine helps the technician understand how the patient is doing. It tells us important information such as heart rate, temperature, blood oxygen, carbon dioxide output, and blood pressure. Although we do have this state of the art machine nothing can replace a good old fashion stethoscope for listening to the heart and lungs.

In this picture Dr. Lawrence is preparing the surgical instruments before she begins.Tiger Lily's abdomen has been draped to keep a clean sterile area.

The patient is doing well under anesthesia. Dr. Lawrence has started cutting to start the procedure. The typical spay takes about 25-30 minutes. Once she is done, the incision is closed and all the sutures are under the skin. Licking and the need for an e-collar are minimized by having the sutures underneath the skin.

Dr. Lawrence has finished the spay and now Tiger Lily is off the gas anesthetic. She is breathing pure oxygen to help awaken her from the anesthesia. In this picture we are placing a microchip into the skin over her shoulder blades. The microchip is permanent identification. For more information on the microchip and how it works you can go to http://public.homeagain.com/.

For large breed dogs being anesthetized for spay or neutering we recommend taking hip x-rays to evaluate the hips for dysplasia. 

We also like to trim nails as the patient is waking up at no charge. Once the breathing tube in taken out she will be placed in a cage to wake up peacefully. Some patients will go home 3-4 hours after their procedure and other will stay overnight to be checked on by staff the next morning. 

To help us serve you better please call us with any questions or to schedule a procedure appointment for you pet (408)296-5857.

Frequently asked questions:

What days of the week do you perform procedures?
Monday through Friday. We do not offer Saturday procedure appointments due to our limited hours of operation.

Does my pet need to be fasted?
For most patients we do ask that they have no food after 10PM the evening before their schedule procedure. Water is okay overnight but pick up the water bowl first thing in the morning. 

What time should I drop off?
We ask that patients be dropped off between 7:30AM and 9AM. This may seem early if the procedure will not be done until the afternoon. Having the patient in the hospital early allows us to do pre-procedure treatments such as giving oral medications and fluid therapy.

Should I bring food or other personal items?
For patients staying overnight who are on a special diet, other then hill's prescription diet, should bring food for at least one feeding. If  your pet is on regular puppy, adult or senior food then we have those foods in stock to give to your pet. Any personal items such as blankets and toys should be CLEARLY labeled with your name. We can not guarantee you will get your items back if they are not labeled.

What time can I expect to pick up my pet after surgery?
Generally patients are sent home between 3-6:30pm the same day or spend the night. Your doctor will call you once your pet is awake to give you an exact time for pick up. If your pet was finished earlier then expected or wakes up rapidly we may send your pet home earlier then 3pm. If you are picking up your pet close to our closing time, 6:30pm, we ask that you come in a few minutes early to go over home care instructions with the staff.

Is staff present after close at 6:30PM to watch my pet?
No, staff is not present once we are closed. We only leave stable patients in the hospital overnight for cage rest. If we feel that your pet is not stable enough to be on it's own overnight we will refer you to the United Emergency Animal Clinic.