Overnight Vet Stay

Does your veterinarian provide around-the-clock care following surgery? You need to ask.

Several years ago when Bailey was having emergency bladder stone surgery I was a total wreck. The vet gave me very few details but told me that Bailey would have to stay overnight. I was hesitant to be away from him but the vet told me that it was necessary for his recovery. I agreed but I asked if I could meet the person that would be staying with him. (I wanted them to know just how special Bailey is and give them my cell number.) I was completely shocked to find out that there would be no one monitoring him overnight.

I promptly said that I would be picking him up and bringing him home after surgery. The vet protested but I would not back down. How could Bailey be better off alone in a vet's office than at home with me watching him constantly? (Would they do that to a human after major surgery?) If anything looked strange I could get him to the Emergency Vet, but if I left him alone in the vet's office and something happened, he would suffer and not get any help.

If your dog needs surgery that requires an overnight stay, make sure a vet or trained assistant is available to monitor them throughout the night. If not, you might want to consider bringing your pet home. My instincts were right on the money to protest no overnight monitoring because problems associated with surgery are most likely to arise during the first 24 hours of recovery.

Be warned, if the surgery was 'major' your pet is going to be in really bad shape. You need to provide a quiet, comfortable , stress-free environment for them, think Intensive Care Unit at a hospital.

I was not prepared to see Bailey in his 'after surgery' condition. It took all my strength to hold back the tears and pay the bill. He laid on my lap the entire way home like a wet noodle. His incision leaked blood on my jeans. He barely moved the entire night. But I was right next to him monitoring every breath.

Luckily my little trooper recovered from this one fast and without incident. Fingers crossed if there is a next one.