Veterinary Surgery for Dogs and Cats in Poulsbo
When your pet needs surgery, you want to understand the recommendation and feel comfortable with the people providing their care.
At Clifton Hollow Animal Hospital, we make time for both.
Drs. Joshua and Sherri Kinder built Clifton Hollow around the kind of care they would want for their own animals: thoughtful medicine, personal attention, and a team that recognizes how much each patient means to their family.
From the first conversation through recovery, we help you understand your pet’s needs, make informed decisions, and know what comes next.
Surgical Care That Starts With Listening
A surgical recommendation should come with a clear explanation. Before planning a procedure, we examine your pet, review their medical history, and listen to what you have noticed at home. We also want to hear your questions, concerns, and anything that might make recovery challenging.
Together, we discuss:
- What we have found and whether additional testing would help.
- Why surgery may be recommended and what it is intended to accomplish.
- The expected benefits, possible complications, and reasonable alternatives.
- Whether the procedure can be performed here or would be better managed by a specialist.
- The anticipated costs, recovery time, and care your pet will need at home.
Your pet’s health, comfort, and quality of life guide our recommendations. Your family’s circumstances matter in building a plan you can follow.
Surgical Services at Clifton Hollow
Our hospital has a dedicated surgical suite for a range of soft tissue procedures. Some of our most common surgeries include:
- Spay and neuter surgery to support reproductive health and prevent unwanted litters.
- Lump and mass removal when a growth needs further evaluation, causes discomfort, or raises concern.
- Wound or laceration repair and abscess treatment to treat injuries, and when an infection requires drainage, cleaning, or removal of damaged tissue.
- Abdominal procedures like bladder stone removal, biopsies, and minor hernia repairs.
Some abdominal procedures that are more complicated or are needed in an emergency may also be possible here. These decisions depend on your pet’s condition, the procedure’s complexity, our team’s availability, and the level of care needed afterward. Our team will let you know if Clifton Hollow is the best place for your pet’s surgery, and we’ll refer you to a trusted partner hospital if we think they need more intensive care than what we can provide.
When a Specialist Is the Best Next Step
Part of caring well for your pet is recognizing when they would benefit from additional expertise or resources. Complex procedures and patients who need intensive care or overnight monitoring may require an emergency or specialty hospital.
If referral is recommended, we explain why, help coordinate the next steps, and share relevant records and test results. We remain involved in your pet’s ongoing care and help you understand the recommendations that follow. Our goal is to make sure your pet gets the best care possible for the condition they have, and we’ll always be honest with you if it’s not us.
Individualized Anesthesia and Attentive Monitoring
Anesthesia deserves a thoughtful conversation. Every anesthetic procedure carries some risk, and that risk varies with the patient and the surgery. A preoperative examination and appropriate testing help identify concerns and guide an individualized plan.
At Clifton Hollow, we consider your pet’s age, breed, health history, medications, and procedure when planning anesthesia. If an examination or test result raises a concern, we discuss whether additional evaluation, treatment, or a change in timing is needed.
During surgery, your pet’s safety is the most important factor. A dedicated team member monitors heart rate and rhythm, breathing, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure through the procedure, with airway support, an IV catheter, and fluids as appropriate to their needs. We continue attending to them as they wake, making sure they are recovering normally, their pain is controlled, and that they are calm and cozy.
Comfort Before, During, and After Surgery
Pain management is part of your pet’s surgical plan from the beginning.
We personalize medication selection and other appropriate treatments based on the procedure, your pet’s health, and the discomfort we anticipate.
Their plan may include injectable medications, local anesthetics or nerve blocks, post-operative therapeutic laser therapy, and medication to continue at home. We assess comfort during recovery and explain how to recognize signs that your pet may need additional support.
You know your pet’s usual behavior best. If they seem painful, unusually withdrawn, restless, or unable to settle at home, we want to hear from you so we can help assess what they need.
What to Expect on Surgery Day
It’s important to us that you are comfortable with the plan and have your questions answered.
Before your appointment, we provide instructions about food, water, and medications. Follow your pet’s specific instructions, and contact us if anything is unclear or their health changes before surgery.
At check-in, we review the procedure and plan with you. We also confirm how to reach you and discuss how unexpected findings or changes to the plan will be handled. This gives you an opportunity to ask any remaining questions before your pet’s care begins.
After the surgery, we contact you when your pet is recovering and discuss when they may be ready to go home. Most patients having routine procedures return home the same day. When overnight monitoring is necessary, we help arrange care at a 24/7 hospital.
At pick up, we’re here to go over anything you’re worried about. Most pets will need to wear a cone (e-collar) until their incision is healed. Expect them to be a little groggy for 24 hours, and you should set up a quiet area where they can safely recover away from noise and other pets. A crate or small room with no stairs or furniture usually works well.
Helping Your Pet Recover at Home
Going home is an important step in recovery, and you should feel prepared for it. We provide written instructions tailored to your pet’s procedure, including:
How and when to give medications.
How to protect and check the incision.
How long to restrict activity.
When and what to offer for food and water.
When to return for a recheck or suture removal.
Which changes require a call or urgent attention.
Recovery time varies. Most pets feel better before they are healed enough to resume their normal zoomies, so it’s up to you to keep them safe. Even when your pet seems eager to resume normal activities, follow their individual restrictions until our team advises otherwise.
Questions are welcome throughout recovery. You do not need to decide on your own whether a concern is worth a call.
Contact us if you notice increasing redness or swelling, discharge, an opening in the incision, repeated vomiting, or discomfort that is not improving. Difficulty breathing, collapse, or significant bleeding requires immediate veterinary attention. If we are closed and your pet needs urgent help, contact the Animal Emergency & Specialty Center in Poulsbo at (360) 697-7771, open 24 hours a day.
If we are closed
Clear Estimates and Respectful Cost Conversations
You deserve to understand what your pet’s care includes and why each part is recommended.
Surgical costs depend on the procedure, your pet’s health, the testing needed, and the expected aftercare. Following an assessment, we provide a written, itemized estimate and review it with you before scheduling surgery. We explain the anticipated charges for anesthesia, monitoring, the procedure, medications, and other recommended services.
Please tell us if cost is a concern. We will help you understand the priorities, discuss reasonable alternatives when available, and explain the implications of delaying or changing treatment. These conversations are always approached with respect and without judgment.
You can find the estimated pricing for spay and neuter surgery on our pricing page. CareCredit and Scratchpay are available as financing options to help spread the cost over time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Surgery
Age alone does not determine whether surgery is appropriate. Overall health, the condition being treated, and the expected effect on quality of life all matter. Most seniors do well under anesthesia with individualized protocols and careful monitoring, like we provide for every patient. An examination and appropriate testing help us assess the risks and discuss the options with you.
No. We assess the lump and may recommend sampling or other testing to help guide the decision. Depending on the findings, monitoring may be reasonable, or removal may be recommended. We explain what we know, what remains uncertain, and how that affects the next step. Getting a lump removed when it’s small almost always results in a better outcome and less invasive procedures, so don’t wait if you are worried.
Some urgent surgical problems can be treated here. Others require resources or ongoing monitoring available at an emergency or specialty hospital. Call first so we can discuss your pet’s condition and help direct you to appropriate care.
Please tell us. We will talk through the recommendation, alternatives, and any risks associated with waiting. Our goal is for you to understand your options and feel supported in making a decision for your pet.
Some pets do benefit from physical rehabilitation after surgery, especially for orthopedic surgeries. For these patients, we recommend Dr. Jennifer Mead, DVM, CVA, CCRP, at Integrated Veterinary A.R.T.S. in Port Orchard.
A Team to Guide You Through the Next Step
Whether your pet needs a planned procedure or an evaluation for a new concern, Clifton Hollow Animal Hospital is here to listen, explain, and help. You can expect personal attention from a family-owned practice that cares about your pet and the people who love them.
For new clients, our BOLD Guarantee reflects our commitment to that experience: if you do not feel we delivered a “Wow!” experience and completely exceeded your expectations during your first visit, we will refund the full doctor-examination cost, no questions asked.
Call (360) 930-6120 to schedule your pet’s surgical consultation in Poulsbo.