Preparing for Surgery

Dear Pet Owner,

As you know your pet is scheduled for an upcoming procedure, which will require anesthesia. We are looking forward to providing him/her with the best possible care. To provide that care, we perform preanesthesia testing for your pet prior to placing him/her under anesthesia. Let me explain why:

You trust us to care for your pet, and our first concern will always be your pet’s health. Before placing him/her under anesthesia, we will do everything possible to ensure he/she is healthy. We will perform a complete physical examination to look for any existing medical conditions that might complicate the procedure or compromise your pet’s health.

As in human medicine, while the physical exam is important, it cannot provide a complete picture of a pet’s health. Consequently, we perform preanesthetic blood testing within one month of the surgical procedure. The preanesthetic testing provides insight as to what is occurring internally. This testing could uncover health concerns, which cannot be detected from the physical exam alone.

At our hospital we don’t believe in taking risks with your pet’s health. We perform preanesthetic testing for companion animals for the same reasons your doctors would run tests on you before you underwent anesthesia. In fact, the tests are quite similar. While these tests do not guarantee the absence of complications, they do minimize the possibility of complications during and after anesthesia. We place an intravenous catheter, which allows immediate access to a vein in an emergency situation. Through this catheter, we can administer sedative pain medications and intravenous fluids during surgery. Our goal is to provide you and your family with the peace of mind you expect and deserve.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us. Please sign the Surgical Consent Forms. You can mail the form back to us or drop it off when your pet arrives for the procedure.

Again, please call us if you want to talk about the tests, your animal’s upcoming procedure, or the enclosed materials. We’re here to assist you and take good care of you and your pet.


Welcome and thank you for selecting Haines Road Animal Hospital for your pet’s surgical and dental needs. We are proud to offer state-of-the-art anesthesia with a heated surgical table and cardiac monitoring. Our surgical technician is a Certified Veterinary Technician through the Florida Veterinary Technician Association. Our veterinarians are experienced surgeons.

Making a surgical appointment:
All surgeries take place Monday through Friday mornings. No surgeries are scheduled for Saturdays. Please call and speak to a surgery technician to select a date and a specific doctor for your pet’s surgery. Please make appointments at least two weeks in advance.

Withholding food before surgery:

Food needs to be withheld from all animals after midnight the night before surgery. This prevents vomiting during the anesthetic procedure. Water does not need to be withheld. Please be sure to walk your pet before coming to clinic.

Admitting your pet to the hospital for surgery:

Please bring your pet to the hospital at 7:30AM on the day of the surgery. Allow 15 minutes to sign surgical authorization forms.

Decisions the morning of surgery:

Microchip – This is offered as a means of permanent identification for your pet.
Ear Cleaning, Anal Gland Expression and Nail Trim – We can perform any of these services on your pet while they are under anesthesia.
Cleaning and polishing of teeth – Good dental hygiene is important in the overall health of your pet. Your doctor may suggest cleaning your pet’s teeth during this anesthetic procedure or at a later date.