Soft Tissue Surgery For Pets: What It Includes And How We Keep Them Comfortable

If your dog or cat has been recommended for “soft tissue surgery,” you might feel a mix of worry and questions. You want to do the right thing, avoid unnecessary stress, and understand how your pet will be kept safe and comfortable every step of the way. At Premier Paws in Lockport and Joliet, our team focuses on clear communication, modern medicine, and gentle handling so you can move forward with confidence.

What “soft tissue surgery” means in everyday terms

Soft tissue surgery includes procedures that do not involve bones or joints. Think skin, muscles, internal organs, and the tissues that support them.

Common surgeries we perform for dogs and cats include:

• Spay and neuter
• Mass and tumor removal
• Foreign body removal from the stomach or intestines
• Wound and laceration repair
• Hernia repair
• Ear and eye procedures
• Some bladder, liver, or spleen surgeries

If a procedure can help relieve pain, resolve infection, remove a risk, or restore normal function, it likely falls under soft tissue surgery. We will explain why surgery is recommended, discuss options, and answer your questions so the plan feels right for you and your pet.

How we keep your pet safe and comfortable

Safety and comfort start before the day of surgery. Here is our approach.

• Pre anesthetic evaluation: We review your pet’s history and perform a full exam. We often recommend pre anesthetic bloodwork to check organ function and tailor anesthesia to your pet. This helps us choose the safest medications and fluid support.
• Individualized anesthesia: There is no one size fits all plan. We select premedication, induction, and maintenance drugs based on age, breed, medical history, and the specific procedure. Pets receive IV fluids as indicated to maintain blood pressure and hydration.
• Continuous monitoring: A trained team member stays with your pet from induction to recovery. We monitor heart rate, ECG, oxygen level, carbon dioxide, temperature, and blood pressure to guide adjustments in real time.
• Multimodal pain management: We combine local blocks, anti inflammatory medications, and opioids or other analgesics as appropriate. This layered approach reduces discomfort during surgery and provides smoother recovery at home.
• Gentle handling and low stress care: Calm handling, warm blankets, quiet recovery spaces, and e collars as needed help reduce anxiety and protect incisions.
• Recovery support with Class 4 laser therapy: Many patients benefit from cold laser therapy after surgery. It helps reduce swelling, supports circulation, and may speed healing so your pet feels better sooner.

Thanksgiving week tips, and when to call

Holidays are great for family time and tempting kitchen smells, but they come with a few hazards for pets. Bones from turkey or ham can splinter and cause painful blockages or tears. String used for turkey trussing, pop up timers, roasting twine, corn cobs, and skewers can be swallowed and get stuck. Fatty scraps can trigger pancreatitis.

Call us right away if you see vomiting, repeated retching, loss of appetite, a painful belly, lethargy, or if you know or strongly suspect your pet swallowed something. Early assessment can be the difference between a simple monitoring plan or endoscopy and a more complex surgery. If this happens after hours, use the emergency hospital list on our site. Prompt care matters most when your pet may have a foreign body, since delays can lead to dehydration, perforation, and a longer recovery.

What to expect before, during, and after surgery

• Before: We will discuss your pet’s diagnosis, surgical plan, and goals. You will receive an estimate and a review of payment options, including CareCredit, major credit cards, and direct Trupanion reimbursement at checkout for enrolled clients. We will let you know when to withhold food and water, which medications to give or pause, and how to prepare your pet and your home for a smooth return.
• During: Your pet is admitted by our nursing team and examined by the veterinarian. We place an IV catheter, administer premedications, and start monitoring. The surgeon performs the planned procedure, and we call you with an update once your pet is awake and stable.
• After: You receive clear home care instructions, pain medications, and an e collar if needed. We schedule or confirm the follow up visit and explain what healing should look like, what is normal, and when to call.

We often recommend Class 4 laser sessions for added comfort.

How much do vets charge for surgery?

Costs vary based on the procedure type and length, your pet’s size, diagnostic needs, and whether the case is planned or urgent. A small mass removal is different from a foreign body surgery that requires abdominal exploration and hospitalization. We provide written estimates before moving forward. If additional findings change the plan, we will call you to review options and costs before proceeding whenever it is safe to pause.

Can you negotiate vet surgery costs?

We understand budgets and believe in transparency. While medical costs reflect surgical time, anesthesia, monitoring, supplies, medications, and trained staff, we do our best to help you plan. We can:

• Provide a detailed estimate with good, better, best options when appropriate
• Review what your pet’s insurance may cover
• Accept CareCredit and major credit cards
• Support direct Trupanion reimbursement at checkout for enrolled clients

If you have cost concerns, tell us early. We will talk through options like staging procedures when safe, timing diagnostics, and pre authorizations with your insurer.

When should I call if I suspect my pet swallowed something?

Call right away, especially if your pet is vomiting, not eating, gagging, drooling, retching, acting painful, or you saw them swallow string, bones, toys, hair ties, or holiday trussing materials. Some objects, like string, can cause particularly serious intestinal damage. Quick evaluation with an exam and imaging helps us decide if we can monitor, induce vomiting when appropriate and safe, use endoscopy, or schedule surgery. The earlier we see your pet, the more options we typically have.

How long does recovery take after foreign object removal?

Recovery time depends on the location of the object and whether the stomach or intestines were involved. Many dogs and cats that have an object removed from the stomach recover comfortably within 10 to 14 days with restricted activity and pain control. Intestinal surgery can take longer because sutured intestines need time to seal.

We usually recommend:

• 10 to 14 days of rest with no running or jumping
• E collar use to protect the incision
• A bland diet for several days, then gradual return to the regular diet
• Medications as prescribed, plus rechecks to confirm healing

If anything seems off, such as vomiting, lethargy, swelling, discharge, or loss of appetite, call us immediately.

Your partners in safe, low stress surgery

From pre anesthetic bloodwork to individualized anesthesia and continuous monitoring, we treat your pet like our own. Our Class 4 laser therapy and careful home care guidance support a comfortable recovery. You will never be left guessing about the plan, the costs, or the next step.

If you live in the area and are planning a procedure or need timely care, we are here to help. You can schedule through the Request Appointment form, call the location nearest you, or ask if an at home pre op consult is appropriate for your pet.

We look forward to caring for your pet with compassion, modern medicine, and clear communication.