Chapter 2: Table of Contents
Patient Preparation
Adult animals are generally fasted up to 12 hours prior to surgery, to reduce the risk of regurgitation or vomiting during or after surgery and development of aspiration pneumonia. Surgical procedures involving the large intestine may require 48 hours of fasting to allow emptying of the intestinal tract. Young animals can become hypoglycemic if fasted for too long and food intake restriction should be adjusted according to the patient. Free access to water is allowed during this time and dogs are walked just prior to surgery, to promote defecation and urination. If the animal cannot be walked, the bladder may need to be expressed manually before abdominal surgery. Once anesthetized, the patient is positioned and the hair is clipped according to the procedure to be preformed.
