All City Pet Care Veterinary Emergency Hospital
Please Read
Please ensure that all medical records and x-rays are sent to [email protected] prior to your appointment. We do recommend having a consultation before surgery. At this appointment, you will be able to meet the surgeon and address any questions you may have. For those more emergent cases, consultations may not be available.
Surgical FAQ
Before Surgery
No food after 10 pm but water within moderation is allowed.
Surgery check-in is between 6:30 am-7:30 am the morning of surgery.
Surgical forms and an estimate will be presented at surgery check-in. Please fill out all forms thoroughly.
At check-in, 75% of the estimate will be required to be paid as a deposit. The remainder will be due at the time of discharge.
If your pet is on medications, please have the medication’s name, dosing, and frequency of administration written down so we can ensure that there will not be any reactions to the medications we will be using.
Orthopedic Procedures
We recommend a 2-week post-operative appointment with either Dr. Heitmann or your primary veterinarian. At this appointment, we will assess healing progression and if pain is appropriately managed.
We also recommend an 8-10 week post-operative appointment that will include x-rays. At this appointment, our team will be checking to ensure the internal healing is where it should be. If your primary clinic has x-ray capabilities, please have your doctor forward them to Dr. Heitmann at [email protected].
Exercise restrictions will be lined out in your “Take Home Instructions”.
Please follow your “Take Home Instructions” as a checkup may be recommended sooner.
Other Surgical Procedures
We recommend setting up an appointment 10-14 days post-operative with your primary veterinarian. Any sutures or staples can be removed at this time.
If your pet had drains placed during surgery, please make a follow-up appointment with your primary doctor to have them evaluated and removed 3-5 days after placement.
Please follow your “Take Home Instructions” as a checkup may be recommended sooner.
Post-operative
After surgery, have a quiet area for your pet to recover in and offer them a small meal. They may be drowsy and uninterested in food that night which is normal.
Please make sure that your pet is not licking at their incision site. Licking can lead to complications such as infection and the opening of the incision. We recommend a cone or a donut if appropriate to your pet’s procedure.
When to Call
Please call (605) 335-4004 if:
If your pet has not eaten 48 hours after surgery.
If the incision site is bleeding, has green or yellow discharge, opened, foul smelling, or swelling that is not decreasing or is worsening.
Vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, or lethargy that persists.
Meet Your Surgeon
Dr. Jeff Heitmann
Dr. Heitmann has been with All City for over 15 years. He graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008. Prior to that, he graduated with a B.S. in Biology from South Dakota State University. He initially began his career in general practice but over the years has gradually narrowed his focus on surgery as he pursued advanced training opportunities and gained experience under the mentorship of a board-certified surgeon. For the last 7 years, he has practiced surgery exclusively. His goal is to provide owners with an option locally for complex surgical problems that have often required more cost and travel for further referral in the past. Dr. Heitmann enjoys both orthopedic and soft tissue surgery and has vast experience with both, including some more challenging procedures that typically would require a referral to a specialty hospital. Fracture repair and TPLO for cruciate ligament injuries are the most common orthopedic surgeries that he performs. In addition, he assists in handling the emergency surgery caseload that is brought in through the Veterinary Emergency Hospital. Dr. Heitmann has a strong interest in perioperative pain management and anesthesia. He is continually working to make surgery less painful and anesthesia safer for all of his patients. In his time away from the hospital, Dr. Heitmann’s favorite activity is spending time with his wife and 3 children. They stay busy attending many youth sporting events that their children participate in. At home, they enjoy the company of Fender (a Cocker-poodle mix), Charcoal and Reggie (Domestic short hair cats), Kyler (Betta fish), and Felix (African Dwarf Frog).
Financing Options
CareCredit
6-12 month interest-free financing
24 & 36-month fixed-rate financing
CareCredit
6-12 month interest-free financing
24 & 36-month fixed-rate financing
ScratchPay
Scratchpay provides simple and affordable payment plans for pet parents. Checking to see which plan is best for you does not affect your credit, and takes about 90 seconds.
