PRE-SURGERY
Day 0: Your vet will supply us with your and your pet’s details, along with any medical records.
Day 1-3: If the referral is accepted, the ORCA team will be in touch within a few days of receipt to discuss the next steps. The next step is usually a consultation with Dr Preston, either in person or remotely. If additional testing is required either before the consultation or before surgery, the ORCA team will instruct you or your vet accordingly.
Day 3-7: Once Dr Preston has consulted and provided you with a plan, we will then provide an estimate of the anticipated costs of the procedure. If you wish to proceed with the plan and accept the estimate, then we will request a deposit to secure your spot and book your pet in for their procedure.
Day before surgery: Our team will provide more information about surgery and will send reminders via email and SMS. This will include instructions about fasting, medications and links to remotely sign consent for the procedure and if desired, remote payment of the surgical deposit.
DAY OF SURGERY
Admission: If not already signed, CPR instructions and your consent form will be provided and signed for. We will need to know all medications and times of administration. Please note that we will supply food for your pet, but if they have specific allergies, we can accommodate using their own food as long as it is cooked. We do not allow RAW food in the hospital.
A deposit of 80% of the high end of the estimate will need to be provided, with the remainder expected at discharge. We do not know the exact order of the cases of the day until rounds are performed and all cases are in the hospital, so we cannot provide an exact surgical time for you during admission. We understand waiting can cause anxiety, but rest assured that no news is good news until Dr Preston’s post-op update.
Recovery: Dr Preston will call you after the procedure is complete and update you on the case. Your pet may or may not stay overnight for monitoring and treatment.
POST SURGERY
Discharge: If your pet is being discharged the same day, our team will contact you with a discharge time and email you Dr Preston’s instructions to read and remotely sign. If your pet is staying overnight, our team will update you on how your pet did the following morning after rounds are performed and schedule a discharge time if appropriate.
If you have any questions or concerns about the instructions provided, we recommend making some notes and asking the ORCA team during the discharge appointment.
Day 7 after surgery discharge: The ORCA team will reach out to you to see how your pet’s recovery is progressing. We typically organize the first recheck appointment at this time.
Day 10-14 after surgery discharge: This is your first recheck appointment with the ORCA team. These are intended as quick suture removals and are often performed by the technologist. If there are particular concerns you want addressed by Dr Preston, please inform the team during admission.
Weeks 6-12 after surgery discharge: The ORCA team will reach out to schedule recheck x-rays if indicated for your pet.
