Questions To Ask Surgeons About CCL Surgery

It's consultation time. The surgeon's attention is all yours, so make the most of it by asking the right questions. Rather than wasting precious time taking notes, you can ask more questions if you use your phone's voice memo to record the answers. Be courteous and  if recording without previous consent isn't required in your state, please let the doc know you're doing this. NOTE: You don't need permission to record in many states. The exceptions to this are CA, DE, FL, IL, MD, MA, MT, NV, NH, PA, and WA. You could print this blog and give a copy to the doctor to read the questions himself/herself.

**Do a few test runs at home to make sure you know how to turn your phone's voice recorder on and off without deleting the entire conversation. To be safe, if someone is with you during the consult, both of you can record the conversation. 

Questions:

• Why do you recommend one surgery over another for my dog?
• How many times have you performed the surgery you're recommending?
• After surgery, will my dog be kept overnight? If so, is there staff present 24/7 including a nurse?
• If dogs stay overnight post-op and no staff if present, may I take my dog home instead?
• My dog has separation anxiety or has never been without me? How will I know he/she will be okay?
• If staff isn't present overnight or on weekends and my dog has an emergency, whom may I call?
• Can you prescribe Trazodone in case my dog becomes anxious post-op?
• Which pain medication will be prescribed?
• Is it normal to see my dog weight bearing one day and not the next?
• Should I be worried if my dog isn't weight bearing for a while? How long is too long?
• How much swelling is normal after surgery?
• Will you describe what razor burn looks like and when it usually appears?
• Should I apply anything to soothe the razor burned area?
• When will bruising begin to appear, and will it worsen for a few days?
• If my dog should happen to lick the incision, should I clean it with anything or apply anything to the area?
• Should I apply any ointment, cream, coconut oil or vitamin E oil to the incision if it looks dry or abnormal in some way?
• Is it okay to use a Q-tip dipped in coconut oil or olive oil to remove excess bandage glue? What things should I avoid using?
• What is a seroma, what does it look like, and what should I do if this happens to my dog?
• What signs should I look for that suggest infection?
• For how many days post-op should I administer pain meds?
• Is it okay to skip applying an ice pack or doing PROM if my dog doesn't like those things? 
• How much arthritis does my dog have?
• What is a meniscal release and will my dog have that done?
• Does my dog have patellar luxation, and if so, what will be done surgically to help the quadriceps tendon stay in place?
• What happens if my dog's meniscus looks healthy during surgery and then tears during the recovery process?
• Must my dog be confined to a crate or may I use an exercise pen or smaller blocked-off area in a room?
• Will my dog's incision be closed with staples or sutures? How long before they'll be removed?
• What should I do about giving meds that need to be given with food if my dog refuses to eat?
• What will be done if my dog becomes nauseous or vomits because of the medication side-effects?
• Will you prescribe Prilosec or Prevacid for nausea? What dosage and frequency is right for my dog?
• Can you tell me about possible rejection of plates and infection or implant failure rates?
• What is the likelihood that his/her opposite CCL will tear, and is there anything I can do to prevent it?
• If my dog is being given medications or supplements, should any of them should be stopped prior to surgery?
• How long after surgery should I switch from applying ice to using a heating pad instead?
• At what setting and for how long should I apply a hot pack or an ice pack?
• Why should I put a dish towel between my dog's skin and the ice pack or hot pack?
• Will my dog need physical therapy? Is there anyone you recommend?
• Can my dog do water therapy? If so, how long must he wait before he can do this?
• How long is too long for my dog NOT to pee or poop after surgery?
• What signs will my dog show if he/she is in pain?

List any additional questions here:




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