Guide to preparing an animal for a veterinary procedure

Guide to preparing an animal for a veterinary procedure Step 1. Clean and disinfect the operating table using a spray bottle containing disinfectant spray.

Wipe down the table using clean paper towels and dispose of the used towels in the bin. To avoid infection or spread of disease gloves should be worn during the disinfection process. The disinfection process can be carried out by one person per table and should not take longer than 5 minutes.

Step 2. Assist with preparing necessary equipment.

This includes the preparation of the throat tube and ensuring they are clean and ready for surgery. A towel should be laid on the table for the animal to lie on and surgical lights should be positioned appropriately. Ensure all sanitary pouches containing tools and PPE are located but not opened as they must stay sterile. This step may take up to 10 minutes however only requires one person to carry out.

Step 3. Go and retrieve the animal from the holding cages using a towel or similar to keep it calm.

Open the door of the cage carefully and retrieve the animal in a calm and quiet manner. This will prevent stress. Hold the animal securely, using correct restraint methods if necessary. If the animal has an external injury, ensure to touch it as little as possible as this may cause stress. Close the door of the cage once retrieved. This step may need to be carried out by more than one person depending on the size of the animal. This may also affect the time it takes.

Step 4. Bring the animal to the veterinary surgeon for sedation.

The animal will need to be walked to the room or carried there where they are getting the surgery.

Once in the room the animal will be put onto the sterilised table. This will take approximately 5 minutes as the walk from the holding cages to the operating theatre is fairly short. Ensure that nervous and aggressive animal are treated with care to reduce the risk of injury. Furthermore, gloves should be worn to reduce the risk of spreading disease.

Step 5. The animal will need to be injected into a vein (which can be raised by applying pressure to the foot) with anaesthetic.

The animal will need to be supported as it is slowly anesthetised. The animal is then placed on its back and all four limbs are separated and tied down. The animal may become anxious or even aggressive during this time so should be handled with care. The anaesthesia should take approximately 1-5 minutes to take affect depending on the size of the animal.

Step 6. To prepare the animal for surgery it must be shaved using electric razor around the area which is going to be operated on.

A smaller razor blade is then used to remove the remaining hair. This is more accurate than an electric razor. The animal is the sprayed with water to wash away any hairs. Afterwards, alcohol is sprayed on the animal to sterilise the skin. It is then wiped off. The step is repeated numerous times. Finally a layer of iodine is sprayed onto the animal for a final layer of disinfection. A surgical sheet is then placed over the animal, leaving a small hole where the surgical procedure will take place. This step should take approximately 10 minutes. Gloves, hair masks and mouth masks should be worn to prevent the spread of disease.

Step 7. The procedure will require the operating vet’s full attention.

They may require assistance during the procedure. This may be passing them green needles, monitoring heart rate, administering injections, check anaesthetist and oxygen levels. Depending on the procedure it will last between 30 minutes to several hours. A castration could last around 30 minutes, where orthopaedic surgery could last several hours.

Step 8. The animal will need to be carefully transported to the recovery room after a procedure.

The animal will be lifted onto a wheeled table. It will be transported into the back room and placed into a holding cage. The animal should be checked on regularly in case it stops breathing, chokes or in case of a sudden drop in heart rate. The animals tongue should be placed out of its mouth so airways are clear.

Step 9. The operating table and equipment must be disinfected for the next procedure.

Equipment is sterilised in alcohol and then flamed to kill microbes. Alcohol spay is used to remove microbes from the operating table. Gloves and surgical cloths are placed in the bin and needles are disposed of correctly in a separate container.