Veterinary Surgery in Saugus

Trust the Veterinary Surgeons at Saugus Animal Hospital

Saugus Animal Hospital’s local veterinarians are highly trained and skilled surgeons dedicated to performing standard and specialty veterinary surgical procedures to improve and maintain your pet’s health.

In our on-site surgical suite, we offer:

• Soft tissue procedures
• Mass and tumor removal
• Abdominal bladder surgeries
• Spay/neuter

More complex surgical cases may be referred to a local specialty hospital to be performed by a board-certified surgeon. We comply with and follow meticulous protocols as recommended by the American Animal Hospital Association and current research standards to ensure your pet’s safety and comfort.

Call (781) 570-5751 or contact us online to learn more or to schedule an appointment.

Our Approach to Pet Surgery

We understand that your pet is a member of your family. To ensure your pet’s safety, we always perform pre-operative blood testing to provide a full and accurate picture of your pet’s organs and overall health. Additionally, we use intravenous catheters to keep your pet hydrated and administer additional medications when needed.

Each surgeon is assigned a minimum of two technicians. A CVT (Certified Veterinary Technician) directly assists the doctor and an additional technician helps monitor the patient throughout the procedure and during their recovery to ensure the utmost safety and care.

Before Surgery

We carefully prepare every patient for surgery, following a rigorous schedule and ensuring that every step is completed effectively.

Pre-Anesthesia Medications

Before administering anesthesia, we administer premedications to help calm your pet before induction. They also help facilitate the placement of an intravenous (IV) catheter, which may be needed for induction. The premedication injection is the first pain management drug to be administered to your pet.

IV Catheter Placement

We will shave an area on your pet’s leg and clean it with antiseptic scrub. Then, we’ll place an intravenous catheter. This allows us to administer supportive IV fluids as well as any medications that may be indicated during the procedure. Having direct vascular access allows prompt response should any unforeseen complications occur.

Induction of Anesthesia

In most cases, we’ll give an IV injection to induce a state of anesthesia, allowing for intubation.

Intubation

Intubation involves placing an endotracheal tube in your pet to provide an open airway in which to administer oxygen and/or anesthetic gases while under anesthesia. This allows controlled respirations if the patient is not breathing well on his or her own and prevents accidental inhalation of stomach contents if the pet vomits while under anesthesia. In addition, intubation during dental procedures prevents water and debris from entering the airway.

Eye Lubrication

When an animal is under anesthesia, the blink reflex is not present, and the eyes often remain partially open. An eye lubricant gel is used to prevent damage to the cornea.

Pain Management Injections

We may administer intravenous, subcutaneous (under the skin), or intramuscular injections at induction of anesthesia to help control post-operative pain.

Patient Monitoring during Surgery

During the actual surgical procedure, many things need to be monitored to keep your pet safe.

We use advanced monitoring equipment throughout the procedure to continuously audit your pet’s:

• Blood pressure
• Heart rate
• Electrical heart activity
• Blood oxygen level
• Respiration rate
• Temperature

Our technicians and surgeons may use a pulse oximeter, ECG, and ECCo2 to monitor your pet.

Post-Operative Care & Patient Discharge

Patient care does not end when your pet is transferred from the surgery suite to recovery. In fact, this is one of the most critical times for patient monitoring. Your pet will begin to wake up, starting with an eye blink, followed by movement. When a swallow reflex is present, the endotracheal tube is removed. Our technicians use a monitoring form to record vital readings post-operatively. Once your pet is fully alert, their IV catheter will be removed in preparation for your arrival.

Your pet’s vital signs – including temperature, heart rate, and capillary refill time (CPT) – will be continuously monitored while they are in the recovery process. Your pet’s recovery technician is also trained to monitor certain behaviors – such as excessive vocalization, panting, and discomfort – that may indicate that additional pain medication is needed.

Each patient is discharged by a technician and sent home with personalized instructions from their surgeon. These are written instructions regarding any medication that should be given, any precautions that need to be taken, and feeding instructions. If there are any questions whatsoever, we ask that you please call the hospital and we will be happy to assist you.

Offering a Safe & Sterile Surgery Suite

Our veterinarians perform sterile surgeries in a separate surgery suite. Sterile surgeries include a scrubbing process for both surgeon and patient, caps, sterile gowns, gloves, and sterile instrument packs. Instrument packs are never shared between patients and there is no admittance to the surgical suite during a procedure unless a staff member is wearing a cap and mask. The sterile field is maintained throughout the entire surgical procedure, resulting in fewer post-operative infections.

Why Choose Saugus Animal Hospital for Your Pet’s Surgery?

At Saugus Animal Hospital, we realize you have choices regarding your pet’s care. One of the considerations in your decision may be the cost of surgical procedures. The cost of procedures can vary greatly, and this is usually a direct reflection of the quality of the procedure and the patient care involved.

When selecting a veterinary facility for a surgical procedure, please make sure that their standard of care meets your criteria. Saugus Animal Hospital offers top-quality procedures in a safe facility equipped with state-of-the-art tools and technology.

Call (781) 570-5751 or contact us online to learn more about the surgical procedures we offer.