Surgical services

 

 

We advise all pet owners to have pet insurance. For a small monthly sum Pet insurance gives peace of mind that you can afford professional and sometimes costly veterinary help for your pet should it be needed.  

We understand how the thought of your pet's surgery can cause concern. At Bruton vets we take special care to keep your pet comfortable and safe. We undertake a wide variety of routine and more complex surgical procedures here in our own operating theatre. The latest equipment allows us to carry out surgery more quickly, efficiently and less invasively. Radiography helps us see the extent of fractures or tumours for example. If required we have the additional expertise of our team of highly qualified veterinary surgeons at our sister practices in London.

We do everything we can to limit the risk and reduce the stresses involved for you and your pet. There has been many improvements in the safety and efficacy of anaesthetic drugs and we use only the safest of these (the same as used for young children in hospitals). This is carefully tailored for each animal and given along with oxygen. Age, weight, state of health, and the procedure they need are all individually considered. At every stage your pet is carefully monitored using the latest electronic equipment, from the initial anaesthetic to their recovery. This is especially important for our older or high-risk patients.

Before any anaesthetic is administered and to help your pet feel comfortable, we give an injection of a sedative to reduce any anxiety, and a pain killer. Reducing anxiety can help reduce the amount of anaesthetic we have to use. Some patients may have a little fur clipped for their surgery. Some will need larger areas clipped at the site of the operation.

Information to help you prepare your pet for surgery is available here.

 

Additional help for your pet during surgery

The more information we can have about your pet, the safer we can make the anaesthetic. We offer two additional services to help  - our veterinary nurses or vets can help you make the right decision for your pet.

1  Pre-anaesthetic blood test This is carried out in the surgery to evaluate whether there are any hidden problems that could not be appreciated at the clinical examination. The results take minutes, so this test can be done just prior to the general anaesthetic. For example if the test indicates any changes in the function of your pet's liver or kidneys, this has important implications for what type of anaesthetic should be used.

We test:

Red blood cell count  animals with a low red blood count (anemia) may not be able to carry enough oxygen during an anaesthetic to prevent organ damage.

Kidney function - kidneys are sensitive to drops in blood pressure, a common side-effect of anaesthetics. A healthy kidney is fine with this but an undiagnosed, mild kidney problem could turn into a severe one.

Glucose - a low glucose result could mean your pet does not have sufficient energy to survive an anaesthetic. A high result could also be indicative of diabetes.

Liver enzymes - the liver is responsible for breaking down anaesthetic agents and eliminating them from the body. A sick liver can mean that a normally safe dose of anaesthetic might result in increased side-effects, or that your animal may suffer a prolonged recovery following anaesthesia.

Protein - if there is a very low level of protein in the blood, normally safe levels of anaesthetics may become dangerous. A low protein level could also lead to delayed healing following surgery.

2  Intravenous Fluid Therapy (drip). A common side effect of a general anaesthetic is a reduction in blood pressure. In most cases this will not be significant. However, in a small proportion of animals, blood pressure can drop to a level where the blood supply to vital organs such as kidneys is compromised. On rare occasions it is possible that resulting damage to the kidneys may remain and possibly contribute to the risk of kidney failure following surgery or at a later date. The best way to maintain blood pressure is to support the circulation and organ function with intravenous fluids (a drip). Intravenous fluid therapy has many benefits and also helps to speed the recovery process by diluting the circulating anaesthetic agents in the blood stream and enhancing their elimination by the liver and kidneys.

 

  Dental services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPECIAL OFFER UNTIL END FEBRUARY 2012

Dog Dental Scale and Polish, including anaesthetic- usually £230 - £350 

NOW ONLY £120 (plus vat)

Cat Dental Scale and Polish, including anaesthetic - Usually £230 

NOW ONLY £99 (plus vat)

 

Dental disease can be diagnosed by a simple physical examination. If your pet comes to our surgery regularly, even for a single visit, we will check their mouths and can advise you how to improve and care for your pets' oral hygiene. We want to help you keep your pet's teeth clean and healthy, and avoid conditions such as gingivitis (painful inflammation of the gums) and periodontal disease (where the structure supporting the teeth is destroyed).

We advise pet owners to bring pets for routine dental checks every three months. Healthy rabbits generally need a dental check up twice a year. Why not take advantage of our FREE Vet Nurse Dental Clinics. Call to book for regular dental check ups and to discuss your pet's dental care plan. This can help prevent painful gums and teeth and expensive tooth extractions. The cost of surgery for tooth extractions is rarely covered by insurance policies.

Dental surgery   At Bruton Vets we carry out dental procedures such as cleaning and de-scaling teeth, oral surgery and any tooth extractions that may be necessary for your pet's health. Our modern ultrasonic dental equipment means fast and efficient dental procedures for your pets. Usually a dental procedure or extraction is a same day surgery.

A follow up check with the vet is recommended and antibiotics may be prescribed. Please see here for more information about surgery and the preparation of your pet for their procedure. 

The signs of dental disease in your pet can include

• Bad breath
• Bleeding and inflamed gums
• Build-up of yellow or brown tartar on the teeth
• Difficulty chewing food
• Loss of interest in food
• Pawing at the mouth or drooling
• Tooth loss
• Subdued behavior
• Not wanting to be touched on the head

To read how you can help your pet have healthy teeth and gums, click here.