Nico's, 11 yr old hound mix is scheduled for surgery next Thursday morning. Her bloodwork was good so I am relieved about that but, now that the surgery is a go I am a bit nervous
.....ok more than a bit, LOL.
I am a worrywart when it comes to the dogs, and my son.

She is having a small warty looking growth on her rear knee cut off or cauterized which is no big deal, but they are also removing a fairly large growth on her side just behind her. It is slightly larger than golf ball size.

It is free moving and doesn't seem to be attached to any muscles or organs, which is a very good thing. But he said it will be a fairly large and deep incision to make sure they get the whole thing out.

We got her labwork back today and everything was good, the vet actually said she was in better shape than he would have expected considering her age and various health problems over the years.

He also said he doesn't believe it is cancerous which is excellent news. He will send off some of it for testing after the surgery though just to be sure.

I am going to have them file her back nails down and short and blunt as possible to help keep her from scratching at it.

She is taking antibiotics all week to have them in her system pre-surgery
Other than fasting the night before and quiet rest afterwards, is there anything that would be helpful?

Have you had the discussion of what kind of anesthesia support would be given?

Will there be insertion of an IV catheter just before surgery, and fluid therapy support? Cardiac and BP monitoring?

These are sometimes "extras" and sometimes G.P. Do you know about them?

Some other discussion:

http://www.petshealth.com/dr_library/anesthesia.html

http://www.2ndchance.info/anesthesia.htm

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/clientEd/anesthesia.aspx

BTW, general anesthesia has come a loooong way.

Thanks Connie,
I did not even think about the anesthesia support issues. I will call and ask him about them.

He did ask if I wanted her to spend the night there after her surgery, but since the place would be empty from 8pm to 5am I decided against it. We can watch her better at home for signs of problems.

I know he does a lot of surgery, and he said this should be no big deal.

he also quoted me a good price, around $500 for the whole thing, he is not going to charge me for the office visits or post surgery check ups. That is about half of what I was expecting. Especially after my other vet quoted me three hundred dollars for a simple male neuter!!

Should I start putting the cone on her now so she can get used to it before the surgery?

And one more question
Would a bland easy to digest diet be good for after her surgery?

I used bitter apple to deter my girl from licking at the incision. Just remember you can't spray it ON the incision. I took a paper towel and wiped it on the skin. $300 for a simple male neuter is ridiculous especially if it's a mature male. It's not that complicated a surgery and a few places(low cost high volume) I know just give IV sedation to keep them out since the surgery is so fast.

If he uses a surgical glue it's VERY important that she doesn't lick at it or jump and run fast for a few days until the skin gets a chance to heal. I used a floppy fabric elizabethan collar on Sandy for just the first day since they used the glue. She was too sleepy and out of it to care.

A t shirt can work well to keep dogs from messing with the stitches depending on where it is.

300 dollars is ridiculous...they aren't expensive for other things so I don't know why it was so high.

She doesn't mind bitter apple...I swear she has no sense of taste. I have yet to find anything she won't eat.

She is a big girl, over 100 lbs and really long, so I don't think a t-shirt will work. She does wear men's briefs backwards when she is in heat though. It is cute!

I think she will leave it alone while the incision is fresh and painful, but I am concerned about her once it starts to heal and is itchy.

i read somewhere to hold the salmon oil a week before surgery..connie would know more about that,maybe the vit.e also,something about blood thinning and bleeding

i read on dogaware.com to stop supplements a few days before and after.its under odds and ends,ask your vet

 Quote: sue lessner

i read somewhere to hold the salmon oil a week before surgery..

Oh yes, all supplements ... that will be in the surgery handout.