Minor and Major Surgical procedures:

Our hospital is equipped to perform most surgical procedures from routine desexings to complicated orthopaedic procedures, such as bone pinning and external fixation of major fractures (see below for examples).

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Performing Surgery Monitoring the Anaesthetic

Analgesia (pain relief):
At Port Macquarie Veterinary Hospital we are dedicated to ensuring that our patients do not suffer pain when undergoing surgical procedures or when affected by painful medical conditions. All routine surgical patients, such as those undergoing desexing, are given a combination of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) as well an opioid analgesic (similar to morphine). This combination is extremely safe and provides excellent analgesia for 24 hours following the procedure.

Some specific procedures require additional analgesia such as nerve blocks for dental extractions, local anaesthetic infusions for localised surgeries, and epidurals for major hind limb orthopaedic surgeries.

Anaesthesia:
General anaesthesia is needed in veterinary science much more commonly than in human medicine, but we never lose sight of the fact that we have your family friend’s life in our hands. Therefore we go to great lengths to ensure that it is carried out as safely as possible.
Prior to every anaesthetic, your pet will be given a thorough physical examination, including auscultation of the heart and chest, to ensure that they are in good health. In addition to this, we also offer pre-anaesthetic blood testing to assess liver and kidney function, blood glucose as well as check for anaemia or low blood protein. The allows us to alter our regime if required, or may identify patients in which general anaesthesia may not be safe.
Every anaesthetised (or sedated ) animal is assigned to an experienced veterinary theatre nurse to constantly monitor the animal’s vital signs and depth of anaesthesia.  Every patient has heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation and anaesthetic depth monitored and recorded throughout the procedure. All animals are placed on a heat mat to prevent hypothermia and their temperature assessed regularly.
Patients undergoing a general anaesthetic are intubated to allow maintenance of a clear airway and are maintained under anaesthesia using isofluorane gas, which is the gaseous anaesthetic of choice in veterinary medicine. The combination of anaesthetics and sedatives used are individually tailored to meet the needs of  your pet based on age, health and procedure being performed.
Following every anaesthetic, your pet is strictly monitored by a theatre nurse at their bed side to ensure a smooth and pain-free recovery.

Servicing the anaesthetic machine.