What should I expect at surgery check-in?

• Young puppies and kittens:  only withold food 4 hours before drop-off time. 
• Rabbits - never withhold food from a rabbit.

Drop Off:  We would like you to drop your pet off between 7am and 8am on the day of surgery.  If you are unable to come in the morning, you may drop off the night before.  

Forms:   You will need to fill out a surgery release form for your pet, and sign an estimate if one has been prepared for you.  This form will allow you to add additional services such as vaccines, heartworm test, FELV/FIV test, Pre-Anesthetic blood testing, IV Catheter, dental, etc.  A surgery technician will go over the form with you and answer any questions you may have.

Recommendations: All Creatures recommends that every pet undergoing anesthesia should have pre-anesthetic blood testing and an IV Catheter. These services are optional, and are additional costs.  You have to ability the morning of surgery to accept or decline these recommendations, and can also discuss them with a surgery technician.

• Pre-Anesthestic blood testing can help uncover underlying conditions your pet may have, and is useful and beneficial even if your pet appears healthy.  We have three levels of Pre-Anesthetic blood testing available in-house with results back the same morning as surgery. 
• IV Catheter- an IV is placed before your pet is anesthetized, and provides the surgery team with instant access to a vein should your pet begin to have complications with anesthesia.  We also administer IV fluids to your pet throughout the procedure to keep their blood pressure up and to hydrate your pet. 

Updates:  We will call you at the number you provide once all our surgeries are completed, and all patients have recovered from anesthesia.  This policy is to allow our nurses to monitor the patients rather than call owners after each surgery.  If there is a problem or concern with your pet, you will receive a phone call from a nurse or a doctor, but if you haven't received a phone call, rest assured that your pet is doing well.  Phone calls can be as late as 4pm.

Pick Up:  Most routine surgeries such as spays, neuters, dentals, and growth removals go home the same day as surgery.  Usually pick-ups are between 4pm and 6:30pm.  If you are unable to pick your pet up the same day as surgery just alert the nurse checking you in and you can make arrangements for your pet to stay in the hospital overnight.  More involved surgeries such as declaws, exploratories, and orthopedic patients stay at least one night in the hospital.  

Any Questions?  A member of our surgery staff will be happy to answer any questions you have, please call 513-797-7387.  Surgery staff are available Mon-Thurs, but if surgery is in progress, you may have to leave a message, and a surgery nurse will return your call.