Veterinary Surgeons in Marina del Rey

What to Expect from Veterinary Surgery at Shane Veterinary Medical Center

We always keep you fully informed about why we are recommending a surgical procedure and regarding any post-operative care your pet will need at home. We practice stringent surgical protocols at our clinic.

Surgical Procedures

At Shane Veterinary Medical Center, we perform routine elective and emergency surgeries to help treat diseases and conditions in pets or to repair injuries sustained through trauma.

Our Marina del Rey vets routinely perform the following elective and non-elective surgeries:

Soft Tissue Surgery

Soft tissue surgery is a surgical category which encompasses surgery on any part of the body excluding bones & joints (orthopedic surgery), the nervous system (neurologic surgery), and the heart (cardiac surgery). Soft tissue surgeries performed by our vets include:

• Spay
• Neuter
• Hernia repair
• Mass removal
• Abdominal exploratory  
• Gastrointestinal foreign body removal
• Splenectomy (spleen removal)
• Gastric dilatation-volvulus (gastropexy)
• Cystotomy (bladder stone removal)
• Entropion repair
• Stenotic nares augmentation
• Ear hematoma repair
• Traumatic wound/laceration repair

Dental Surgery

Our veterinarians provide dental surgeries for dogs and cats. These surgeries can range from tooth extractions to gum disease treatment and jaw fracture repairs.

Deposits & Cancellation Fees

A $250 deposit is required to schedule any surgical or dental procedure. This deposit will be applied toward the total cost of your pet’s treatment. However, if you need to reschedule or cancel the procedure, we ask that you do so at least 2 days in advance in order to receive a full refund of your deposit. Failure to adhere to our cancellation policy will result in a $250 cancellation fee and your deposit will be forfeited.

How to Prepare for Your Pet’s Surgery

We will send you all of the necessary forms to fill out at least 48 hours in advance through an online document signer called DocuSign. In the DocuSign envelope, you will find a treatment plan estimate, an anesthesia consent form, and a credit card authorization form. Please fill out all of these forms completely and send them back to us by no later than 7pm the night prior to your pet’s appointment.

Unfortunately, if we do not receive the signed documents on time, we will not be able to proceed with your pet’s surgery.
Please do not feed your pet anything after midnight the night before the anesthetic procedure. We recommend fasting after dinner. However, please continue to allow your pet access to water in order to prevent dehydration.

On the day of the procedure, you and your pet should arrive at the clinic between 7:00 – 7:30 am for drop-off. Please allot approximately 15 minutes for intake. Once your pet has been checked in, he or she will be brought into the treatment area for pre-surgical assessment by a veterinarian.

Our Stress-Reducing Surgical Process

We understand that the prospect of bringing your pet in for surgery can be frightening. Please be assured that we recommend surgery only when it is in the best interests of your furry companion. 

We will ensure that you fully understand why we are recommending veterinary surgery and that you are comfortable making the decision to move ahead.

If your pet requires advanced care, our vets will refer you to a veterinary surgeon near Marina del Rey, and work closely with your vet surgeon to ensure that your pet receives the best possible care. 

Surgical protocols at our veterinary clinic include:

Pre-surgical assessments. We will confirm the specifics of the procedure, complete a physical examination of the patient, and make sure blood tests have been completed and reviewed by the vet in order to determine if your pet faces any risk of anesthesia-related complications.

Our on-site laboratory allows us to screen for many hidden medical issues ranging from liver disease, kidney disease and hypoglycemia to pancreatitis, parathyroid disease, and systemic inflammation. Furthermore, these tests can indicate chemical imbalances that could affect your pet under anesthesia and can help reduce risks by allowing us to make necessary adjustments to our anesthetic and surgical approach. The results also provide a baseline for any future health concerns. We recommend pre-anesthetic blood work for every patient undergoing anesthesia, regardless of age.

Dedicated surgical suites. Surgeries are performed in a dedicated surgical suite. This room is kept completely sterile to prevent infection and cross-contamination.

Surgical attire. Our staff wears disposable caps and masks at all times when they are in the surgical suite. Those involved in the procedure itself will also wear sterile gowns and single-use gloves.

Sterile packs and equipment. We carefully clean, sterilize and wrap our surgical instruments and equipment prior to every surgery.

After Your Pet’s Surgery. Once your pet’s surgery is finished and he or she has awoken from anesthesia, we will contact you (usually by text message) to let you know how the procedure went and what time you will be able to come pick-up your pet. We will email you a copy of the discharge instructions to review prior to pick-up. Once you arrive at the clinic, a technician will go over any medications that are being sent home and answer any additional questions you may have. Please remember to schedule a recheck with a technician for 2 weeks after your pet's surgery, so we can make sure the surgery site has healed properly and remove any sutures or staples, if necessary. We recommend scheduling this appointment as soon as possible in order to ensure availability. If you become concerned about your pet’s surgical incision or healing progress at any point before the recheck, you are welcome to send us a photo of the surgery site, so we can give you advice and let you know whether or not you should come in sooner.