Derry Heights Animal Hospital offers patient form(s) you can complete it in the convenience of your own home.
- If you do not already have AdobeReader® installed on your computer, Click Here to download.
- Download the necessary form(s) to edit or print out and fill in the required information.
- Email us your completed forms or questionaire ahead of your appointment date.
- Alternately, send us your email and we can email you the specific forms, information, or questionaire you will need to read through and/or complete before coming in for an appointment or surgery if your pet is scheduled.
New Patient Registration Request
When you request your pet(s) to become patients at our clinic, this let's us record basic pet and owner into our management software to start a digital file so that we can book an appointment for your pet, save & attach documents like medical history or registration questionnaires, and record communications. Our staff will provide you with a different more detailed information request sheet (questionnaire/registration) or other forms by email to be completed and emailed back to to clinic before appointment date, so that we can effectively and efficiently provide the service you deserve. You also need to email us a copy of any previous medical history or documents you have for your pet(s) and/or call previous vet clinics to ask them to send records to our clinic before bringing your pet (most clinics need at least 48 hours notice). Our email is derryheightsvet@gmail.com
Surgical Information
Please let us know during your pre-surgical exam and again when you drop your pet off for surgery if you have any questions, concerns, or goals come to mind, regarding your pets procedure or wellness we help you with! During or after one of your visits for exam/consultation, our staff can provide you with customized surgery information for our clinic, before their surgery date, that are more specific to your pet and based on any exam findings or recommendations by the vet.
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General Spay and Neuter Surgery information
Our basic spay/neuter surgeries (cost depends on age & weight) includes sedation, anaesthesia, surgical procedure (castration/ovariohysterectomy), pain injection to last 24 hrs, hospital stay & care for the day, antibiotic injection, and one re-check exam with suture/staple removal (recheck is usually 12-14 days after surgery & wear cone until after recheck). Before your pets surgery date, you will be provided with consent forms to complete, sign, and email back to clinic before procedure. One of these forms will have an option of accepting or declining extra 'add-on' procedures to be done in addition to basic spay/neuter procedure. As a minimum necessity, all dogs or cats having a spay or neuter surgery MUST go home with an E-Collar/Cone and take home pain medication (oral) at extra cost specific to their weight, species, and medical history. Other than a pain injection, uur veterinarian also usually gives an antibiotic injection at time of surgery. Anything else like Bloodwork, Intravenous Fluids (IV), Microchip Implant, Hernia repair, hind dewclaw amputation if present, retained baby teeth removal, or other treatments needed (ie extra sedative to go home, flea treatment), cost extra if added or necessary. If you have questions, please contact us before the surgery date. Pet is usually dropped off between 9:30am-10:15am on date of surgery (performed mon-fri by advanced appointment only). Your pet MUST be fully fasted (~12 hrs no food, ~4 hrs no water) before surgery drop off (staff will confirm at time of drop off) and they are sent home on the same date that surgery takes place (usually 3:30-6:30pm) and scheduled to come back for a re-check +/- suture removal 12-14 days later. We send home written home care instructions at time of discharge from surgery as well. While blood testing done before surgery date & IV Fluids done during surgery is only mandatory for pets over 5 years of age (or younger if advised by vet that its necessary on case by case basis), they are both always strongly recommended for pets of all ages.
Explanation of Extra Add-On Procedure(s) Strongly Recommended With Most Surgeries
- Pre Anesthetic Blood Test (Pre-Op Screen): To be done a minimum 24-48 Hours before surgery or sedation to allow time for laboratory testing at an off site lab. We advise testing 1-2 weeks prior to surgery to allow time in case extra diagnostics need to be added based on initial results. The anesthetics that we use are extremely safe and the risk is minimal, however if a pet is not completely healthy then potential complications can occur both during and after the anesthetic procedure. Blood work allows the veterinarian to evaluate your pet's internal organ function and blood cell counts, something which cannot be assessed during a general physical exam. The liver or kidneys are responsible for clearing the anesthetics used during a procedure, so monitoring organ parameters can help minimize the risks of anesthetics by ensuring that these organs are functioning properly. Platelets are responsible for clotting after incisions are made, and red blood cells help transport oxygen to lungs while removing carbon dioxide from the body, so ensuring adequate levels is important for these as well. While performing blood work cannot guarantee that your pet will not have any problems with the anesthesia or surgical procedure, it can significantly minimize the risk to your pet. Although bloodwork is usually optional for younger pets like puppies and kittens, the older your pet is, the more likely it is you will be required to have pre-anesthetic blood work done before any kind of sedation can take place. Bloodwork is normally always required for pets 5 years of age or older, or pets with certain medical conditions, but you have the option to decline it if your pet is otherwise healthy and under 5 years of age if the veterinarian hasn't advised it to be mandatory
- IV Fluids: The placement of an IV (intravenous) catheter provides us with immediate access to a vein for administering emergency drugs and/or fluids. IV fluids are a vital safety precaution for every anesthetized patient, and even more so for older pets and those undergoing lengthy procedures requiring sedation. Additional fluids are important because they help protect your pet's kidneys and help to maintain normal blood pressure while anesthetized, allowing all vital organs to receive the blood they require to function properly. They keep your pet properly hydrated for recovery and also help the body flush anesthesia drugs out of their system much more quickly, making for a more comfortable post surgical recovery from sedation.* All animals receiving IV Fluids will have a small patch of hair shaved on the front or back leg(s) for catheter placement.*
- Pain Medication (Take-Home): Proper pain control aids in the recovery of your pet. The type of analgesic (pain medication) chosen is determined on an individual basis. It can help your pet feel more comfortable, less stressed and aid in the reduction of inflammation. Pain control should be done under a veterinarian's supervision only. Medications that work for you may in fact be harmful or toxic to your pet. If your pet should seem painful at home after surgery, please contact your veterinary clinic to discuss options. Although all pets receiving surgery receive a pain injection that generally lasts up to 24 hours, additional medication to take home with your pet is an additional cost based on exact weight, and is required with all spay and neuter surgeries for at least a few days following the procedure depending on what your pet has had done. Medications may come in the form or tablet, capsule or liquid, depending on dose your pet needs, type of drug, and format the dose is available in.
- Elizabeth Collar (The Plastic "Cone"): In most cases, a pet that has had an abdominal or surgery in hind end or groin area is required to go home with an e-collar (cone type). It is an inexpensive extra cost based on the individual diameter of your pets neck and length of their snout, to ensure they cannot reach the incision with tongue/teeth. You must keep this on your pet until healing is complete to prevent licking the surgical incision and possible exposing the incision to infection. As the incision starts to heal it will become itchy and your pet could remove the stitches prematurely. This is why it is important to keep the e-collar on until after the stitches are removed, usually at least 12-14 days. If you already own an E-Collar or soft-cone of some sort for your pet, and it is brought with them at time of drop off for surgery and fits them properly to prevent licking, you will not have to purchase one from the clinic. Otherwise staff will send your pet home wearing a cone from clinic after surgery.
- Antibiotic Injection: Infections remain a complication of surgical procedures. It is a small cost, but preventive antibiotics given before or during surgery have been shown to decrease the occurrence of infection at the site of the surgery. Antibiotic therapy coupled with proper aseptic surgical techniques in the operating room and during post-surgical care significantly reduce the risk of infection and the chance of having to bring your pet back to the hospital for additional treatment.
- Microchips: It is a peace of mind knowing your pet will be quickly found. Protection for travel, proof of ownership in case pet is stolen, lost, or found injured without visible identification. Microchips are inexpensive, tiny, rice-sized computer chips that are implanted in your pet under the skin between their shoulder blades, each with its own unique identifying number to easily identify your pet. In a quick and simple procedure, they are inserted with a hypodermic needle; much like when your pet receives a vaccine. They cannot be seen or felt after insertion; and are only detectable by a microchip scanner which most if not all veterinary clinics and animal shelters always have on hand to scan lost and found pets. Additionally, most municipalities give significant annual discounts on cost of pet licencing fees to owners of pets who have a microchip. Our clinic uses Microchips from 24 petwatch - information available on their website too.
***Most of the above procedures are ALWAYS strongly recommended***
***Reminder: All pets should be fasted for 12 hours with nothing to eat and nothing to drink ~4-6 hrs before****
*** All pets scheduled for surgery MUST be up to date on Rabies vaccination status & have a pre-surgical exam***