Surgery
at The Animal Wellness Hospital of Highlands
Thank you for choosing The Animal Wellness Hospital of Highlands for your pet’s surgical needs.
We take pride in the quality of care we provide for your pet and we strive to keep our standards
of care at the highest level. We take many steps to ensure your pet’s safety and minimize
anesthetic risks.
The doctors recommend pre-anesthetic blood work and intravenous catheter placement for
all patients. Pre-anesthetic blood work can alert the doctor to any abnormalities that can
increase the risk of anesthesia. IV catheter placement not only offers an emergency port but
also, through intra-operative fluids, a way to maintain optimal blood pressure which helps
protect the kidneys and other internal organs.
Surgery is performed in a modern operating room, which decreases the chance of infection by
providing a more sterile environment. Standard procedures of creating sterility include clipping
of hair, proper cleansing of the surgical site, sterile draping of the patient, sterilized instruments
and proper sterile attire for our surgeons.
The operating room is equipped with advanced monitoring equipment that displays:
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Heart Rate
Blood Oxygen Saturation
Capnometry (Assesses ventilation, CO2 levels)
Respiration Rate
Temperature- A heated surgical table is used to help combat any decrease in body
temperature often caused by anesthesia.
Your pet will have a veterinary technician assigned to them who continuously monitors your
pet, records his or her vital signs and notifies the surgeon of any changes until discharged. In
the event of any concerns after discharge we have a 24 hour emergency service available
through Rabun Animal Hospital in Mountain City, Georgia.
If indicated or requested, a surgical laser can be used instead of a scalpel. The surgical laser
decreases capillary bleeding by cauterizing the small blood vessels as it cuts. In the same way,
the laser cauterizes nerve endings to decrease local pain.
Your pet’s comfort is important to us and pain relief is a priority. Animals do not always display
outward signs of discomfort. Pre and post-operative injections are given, as indicated, to
minimize this discomfort. Medications will be prescribed if additional pain relief is needed while
recovering at home.