Preparing Your Patient
Please refer to the information below to help prepare your client and their pet for particular procedures:
- All patients must be fasted (no food) within 48 hours of the procedure. Water is fine up to four hours prior to the procedure. If the patient is a diabetic, we recommend giving one half of the normal breakfast and one half the dose of insulin that morning.
- Anesthesia is not necessary for all pets. But some pets may be resistant to an awake enema. Additionally, the emptier the colon is, the better the transplant will take. That is why fasting is recommended.
- For all canine patients experiencing lethargy, weight loss, or vomiting without obvious cause, we recommend that an ACTH stimulation test be performed prior to the transplant.
- Please place an IV catheter the day of the procedure and keep the patient on maintenance fluids (66 ml/kg/day for dog) (44 ml/kg/day for cat) until the procedure can be performed.
- Prior to the transplant, please give the patient warm water enemas throughout the day until the material is clear. You may use lukewarm water at a dose of 20 ml/kg and pass into the rectum using a soft red rubber catheter that is lubricated. Perform this every one – two hours. Make sure to walk all dogs after administering an enema. If the patient is intolerant of this or fractious, please forgo performing this step. In those scenarios, the patient will have to be anesthetized longer to be completely evacuated by our staff prior to the colonoscopy. Avoid FLEET enemas in cats.
- If the patient is having diarrhea, routine fecal testing in the last 14 days is strongly recommended.
- Any past issues with anesthesia or bleeding episodes should be brought to our attention prior to the day of the procedure.
- If fecal transplant is requested for this patient, please give us 24 hours-notice so that we may bring fecal material from the donor properly prepared.
- All patients must be fasted (no food) within 48 hours of the procedure. Water is fine up to four hours prior to the procedure. If the patient is a diabetic, we recommend giving half of the normal breakfast and half the dose of insulin that morning. We will also recommend checking a blood glucose level prior to the procedure.
- For all canine patients experiencing lethargy, weight loss, or vomiting without obvious cause, we recommend that an ACTH stimulation test be performed prior to any anesthesia if not already tested for Addison’s disease.
- Please place an IV catheter the day of the procedure and keep the patient on maintenance fluids (66 ml/kg/day for dog) (44 ml/kg/day for cat) until the procedure can be performed.
- Please give the patient warm water enemas throughout the day until the material is clear. You may use lukewarm water at a dose of 20 ml/kg and pass into the rectum using a soft red rubber catheter that is lubricated. Perform this every one - two hours. Make sure to walk all dogs after administering an enema. If the patient is intolerant of this or fractious, please forgo performing this step. In those scenarios, the patient will have to be anesthetized longer to be completely evacuated by our staff prior to the colonoscopy. Avoid FLEET enemas in cats.
- It is recommended that all patients have routine blood work (biochemistry panel of 12 or more and a comprehensive CBC) in the past 10 days prior to the procedure.
- If the patient is having diarrhea, routine fecal testing in the last 14 days is strongly recommended.
- Any past issues with anesthesia or bleeding episodes should be brought to our attention prior to the day of the procedure.
- Patients with heart disease or heart murmurs should ideally have an echocardiogram or cardio pro-BNP performed in advance of any anesthetic procedures. Patients over seven years of age or patients with heart murmurs should have chest radiographs within three days of the procedure.
- If fecal transplant is requested for this patient, please give us 24 hours notice so that we may bring fecal material from the donor properly prepared.
- Ideally, all patients would be fasted (no food) the day of the procedure. Water is fine. We understand that some clients may have concerns about this. If the ultrasound is potentially occurring later in the day, it is okay to give breakfast to the pet no later than 9 am and to give the pet half of what he or she normally eats. If the pet is a diabetic, it is okay for them to have their normal breakfast and insulin. No water restriction in diabetics please.
- We will need to likely shave the pet for optimal imaging purposes. We try our hardest to not get overzealous and remove too much hair or cause “clipper burn.” However, every pet is different and may have rash associated with the haircut or gel we use.
- While not common, some pets will need sedation for their ultrasound to help ease any nerves. If after attempting the ultrasound or fine-needle aspiration, the pet is too wiggly or frightened, we will ask for sedation for the pet. The medication must be provided by the primary care veterinarian’s office as well as communicating the need for sedation to the owner.
- All pets who receive a fine-needle aspirate must have a platelet count or CBC performed that day showing adequate platelet numbers.
- All patients must be fasted (no food) the day of the procedure. Water is fine up to four hours prior to the procedure. If the patient is a diabetic, we recommend giving half of the normal breakfast and half the dose of insulin that morning. We will also recommend checking a blood glucose level prior to the procedure.
- For all canine patients experiencing lethargy, weight loss, or vomiting without obvious cause, we recommend that an ACTH stimulation test be performed prior to any anesthesia if not already tested for Addison’s disease.
- It is recommended that all patients have routine blood work (biochemistry panel of 12 or more and a comprehensive CBC) in the past 10 days prior to the procedure.
- If the patient is having diarrhea, we will recommend that a colonoscopy be performed as well. In this scenario, routine fecal testing in the last 14 days is strongly recommended.
- Any past issues with anesthesia or bleeding episodes should be brought to our attention prior to the day of the procedure.
- Patients with heart disease or heart murmurs should ideally have an echocardiogram or cardio pro-BNP performed in advance of any anesthetic procedures. Patients over seven years of age or patients with heart murmurs should have chest radiographs within three days of the procedure.
- If fecal transplant is requested for this patient, please give us 24 hours notice so that we may bring fecal material from the donor properly prepared.
- All patients must be fasted (no food) the day of the procedure. Water is fine up to four hours prior to the procedure. If the patient is a diabetic, we recommend giving half of the normal breakfast and half the dose of insulin that morning. We will also recommend checking a blood glucose level prior to the procedure.
- For all patients experiencing lethargy, coughing, or respiratory changes, three view chest radiographs interpreted by a board-certified veterinary radiologist is recommended.
- It is recommended that all patients have:
- Routine blood work (biochemistry panel of 12 or more and a comprehensive CBC) in the past 10 days prior to the procedure.
- Although not required, it can be beneficial to have respiratory PCR testing performed in young cats and dogs and older cats as well.
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- For any patients with hemoptysis, heartworm testing should be performed in advance of this procedure.
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- Any past issues with anesthesia or bleeding episodes should be brought to our attention prior to the day of the procedure.
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- Patients with heart disease or heart murmurs should ideally have an echocardiogram or cardio pro-BNP performed in advance of any anesthetic procedures. Patients over seven years of age or patients with heart murmurs should have chest radiographs within three days of the procedure.
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- A BAL and chest radiographs can miss dynamic airway collapse, airway foreign bodies, and cancer. Therefore, more complete airway evaluations may be necessary for your patient and may include a CT scan and bronchoscopy.
- All patients must be fasted (no food) the day of the procedure. Water is fine up to four hours prior to the procedure. If the patient is a diabetic, we recommend giving half of the normal breakfast and half the dose of insulin that morning. We will also recommend checking a blood glucose level prior to the procedure.
- For all patients experiencing lethargy, coughing, or respiratory changes, three view chest radiographs interpreted by a board-certified radiologist is recommended.
- It is recommended that all patients have:
- Routine blood work (biochemistry panel of 12 or more and a comprehensive CBC) in the past 10 days prior to the procedure.
- PT/PTT clotting times
- Cryptococcus titers or aspergillosis antigen testing (we are happy to provide insight on these tests)
- For any patients with epistaxis, vector testing should be performed in advance of this procedure.
- Any past issues with anesthesia or bleeding episodes should be brought to our attention prior to the day of the procedure.
- Patients with heart disease or heart murmurs should ideally have an echocardiogram or cardio pro-BNP performed in advance of any anesthetic procedures. Patients over seven years of age or patients with heart murmurs should have chest radiographs within three days of the procedure.
- CT scanning is an essential aspect of nasal cavity evaluation and work-up. Biopsy alone can miss foreign objects, fungal infections, and cancer. CT is far superior to nasal radiographs or skull radiographs. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that a CT scan of the nasal cavity and head be performed prior to nasal biopsies.