What Happens on the Day of Your Pet’s Neutering?
We understand that bringing your pet in for surgery can feel worrying. Our team at Swanley Veterinary Clinic will take great care of your pet every step of the way. A Vet or Registered Veterinary Nurse will discuss the best timing and age for neutering, which is dependent on the age, breed and temperament of your pet.
Your pet is in safe hands

Admission & Health Check
When you arrive with your pet, one of our team will:
Go through a consent form with you
Discuss the procedure with you
Check your pet over
Weigh your pet
Admit your pet into the ward

Pre-Medication
The Vet and the registered Veterinary Nurse will calculate and prepare your pets medication.
When ready, your pet will be given the pre-medication injection to help them relax and reduce any stress.
This pre-medication also provides early pain relief and allows for a smooth, gentle start to the anaesthetic.

IV Cannula Placement
Once your pet is relaxed, a registered Veterinary Nurse will place an intravenous (IV) cannula in their leg.
It is very important for us to have venous access during any sedation/anaesthetic. This is to ensure we can act fast in the event of an emergency.
The IV cannula stays in placed until your pet is recovered in the ward.

Anaesthetic & Monitoring
Your pet will be carefully anaesthetised by the Vet and monitored throughout the procedure by a registered Veterinary Nurse.
Using our modern monitoring machines we check and record your pets vital signs throughout.
Your pet’s safety is our top priority at all times.

Recovery & Nursing Care
After surgery, your pet is placed back in their warm, comfortable kennel and closely monitored by our registered Veterinary Nurse.
We continue to monitor and record their vital signs during recovery.
We ensure they wake up calmly and comfortably.

Feeding
Time
Once your pet is awake, we offer a small amount of food (if appropriate) and continue to monitor them to make sure they are settled and comfortable.
If your pet is on a special diet, then you will be required to bring some with you on the day.

Going Home
Your pet will usually go home the same day. We will call you when we can give you a going home time. We’ll provide:
- Post-operative pain relief
- Clear aftercare instructions
- Advice on rest and activity

Post-Op Check
We’ll arrange any necessary post-operative checks with a registered Veterinary Nurse following your pet’s surgery.

Here to Help
If you have any concerns at any point, our team is always happy to help—just give us a call.