Chances are, at some point during your pet’s lifetime, the need for surgery will arise, whether it’s a simple, routine procedure, like a spay or neuter, or something more complex and medically necessary. At Herndon Animal Medical Center, we understand what a difficult and stressful experience this can be for both of you. We want to set your mind at ease. We take every surgical procedure we perform seriously and place the safety and comfort of our patients as our top priority.
All surgeries are performed in our state of the art surgical suite, using the most modern equipment and technology. Our highly skilled veterinarians are experienced in performing a broad range of pet surgeries while always adhering to the strictest standards of care. We work very hard to make sure that each procedure performed at our hospital is done in a way that promotes a calm, comfortable and stress-free atmosphere for everyone involved.
If surgery is recommended for your pet, he or she will be thoroughly screened before moving forward. We’ll conduct a full physical exam and run a battery of diagnostic tests to ensure that your companion is healthy enough to proceed. We never want to place our patients at risk, especially older animals or those that are considered to be high risk. We want to be confident of a smooth, efficient and safe procedure before we ever step foot in the operating room.
Once we receive the go-ahead that your pet is healthy enough to undergo surgery, we’ll then set to work developing a customized pain management plan that is specifically tailored to your dog or cat. At Herndon Animal Medical Center, we utilize a variety of pain control methods, including the safest anesthetic products available, as well as narcotic patches and other injectable pain medications. Our goal is to help your pet to remain comfortable and pain-free while also minimizing risk as much as possible.
During surgery, our doctors will work diligently and efficiently to provide for the best possible outcome. Our team of highly skilled veterinary technicians and assistants will also be on hand at all times to assist with surgery and to monitor your pet’s well being throughout the procedure. We use modern equipment and cutting edge technology to closely monitor your pet’s heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels.
Once surgery is complete, we’ll move your pet to our warm, peaceful recovery area where we will continue to monitor their well being as they come out of anesthesia. A member of our team will reach out to let you know how everything went and arrange for you to come retrieve your pet. Before bringing your pet home, we’ll carefully explain our post-operative care instructions, which may or may not include a pain management plan to help your companion recover comfortably at home.
Nobody wants to have to bring their family member in for surgery – whether they’re two-legged or four-legged. Rest assured that whatever your pet’s surgical needs, he or she will be well cared for with our surgical team. We’ll have them fixed up and on the road to a full and speedy recovery in no time!
Other Considerations
If your pet requires anesthesia for minor or routine surgery, you may want to consider having other minor treatments and procedures that require sedation performed at the same time. For instance, certain dental care procedures and microchip implantation are much easier to do while your pet is anesthetized. If you’d like to discuss the possibility of doing this, or would like an estimate for the additional services, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (703) 435-8777. We’d be happy to answer your questions and discuss your specific needs in greater detail to help you make the best decision for your pet.