What to Expect?
What to Expect During Your Consultation With Us
A preoperative consultation is necessary prior to proceeding with any procedure under sedation or general anesthesia. During your consultation, Dr. Campbell will review your pet’s medical history and perform an oral and general physical examination. A conscious oral examination is limited to the visual portions of your pet’s teeth, gums and front part of the oral cavity. A detailed periodontal examination, radiographic assessment, and examination of the tongue, sublingual space, tonsils, palate and pharynx are performed under general anesthesia at the time of the intended procedure.
It is not uncommon that additional pathologies are identified during the detailed anesthetized examination. An initial treatment plan will be discussed during the consultation, and a cost estimate will be provided. Once you have decided to proceed with treatment, an appointment can be scheduled for the planned treatment.
Surgery Day Expectations
What to Expect on the Day of Your Pet’s Surgery
Your pet needs to be at the hospital at 7:30 AM on the day of their surgical procedure (unless other arrangements are made during your consultation). It is important that patients undergoing general anesthesia are fasted after midnight the night before surgery; however, they may have access to water. If your pet is being treated with medications, you should consult your doctor prior to your surgery date to clarify if those medications should be given on the morning of surgery or if they should be withheld. If your pet is diabetic, you should give 1/2 the normal dose of insulin the morning of surgery; however, DO NOT feed your pet.
When you bring your pet to the hospital, you will be greeted by one of the nurses on the Oral Surgery Service. They will confirm that your pet has been fasted and what (if any) medications your pet is currently being treated with. They will also confirm that you have received a cost estimate for the procedure being performed and ensure that any questions you may have are answered. If they cannot answer your questions, they will ask Dr. Campbell to contact you prior to proceeding with your pet’s surgery.
Please remember that your pet is not the only patient having surgery on your surgery date. Although we do our best to estimate discharge times and the time when surgery may happen, our day is fluid and frequently changes, which may make it difficult to accurately predict the schedule. You should plan on having your pet at the hospital for the entire day. We will contact you once the procedure is completed. You are welcome to contact the hospital for information during the day, but please note that the Oral Surgery Staff may be in surgery and may not be able to immediately come to the phone, however our Reception Team can relay information to you about the status of your pet.
What to Expect After Surgery
Once surgery is completed, Dr. Campbell will contact you to advise you on the status of your pet and the procedure performed. Depending on the procedure, your pet may be admitted to the hospital for postoperative supportive care. This is typically discussed during your initial consultation. However, it is important to remember that surgery can be unpredictable and Dr. Campbell may recommend keeping your pet in the hospital if indicated. If your pet is having an outpatient procedure, discharge times are typically scheduled for 2 hours after the procedure is completed to allow your pet to recover from anesthesia completely. Please do not expect a discharge time prior to 5:00 PM unless otherwise arranged with the Oral Surgery Service.
Your pet will be discharged with discharge instructions and postoperative medications. One of the Oral Surgery Service nurses will clearly outline when and how to administer the prescribed medications. Please be sure to ask any questions regarding medications at the time of your discharge. It is important you follow the postoperative instructions carefully to prevent surgical complications.
A postoperative follow-up appointment may be scheduled for you at the time of discharge; this is typically two weeks after your surgery date.
Cost Estimates
An estimate for the cost of your planned procedure will be provided for you at the time of your consultation. Please remember that this is an estimate based on a conscious examination of your pet. Once your pet is under general anesthesia, a thorough oral examination and diagnostic imaging will be performed; this examination may yield additional information that may change the planned procedure. You will be updated as to the projected costs in the event this happens. Additionally, surgical procedures can be unpredictable and may take longer than anticipated. Cost estimates are based on the average time it takes to perform a given procedure; however, it is sometimes difficult to predict if a procedure may be more complicated or prolonged, given your pet’s circumstances. If you have any questions regarding your estimate, please contact a member of the Oral Surgery Team.
Surgical Deposits and Scheduling Surgery
Payment of a deposit is required to schedule all surgical appointment(s). This deposit is fully refundable up to 14 days prior to the scheduled surgical date. Cancellations within 7-14 days of a surgical appointment are subject to a $500 cancellation fee. Deposits are non-refundable within 7 days of scheduled surgery.