Just like humans, your pet can need surgery for any number of reasons. If your pet is scheduled to have surgery, one of the most important things you need to ask your vet is – can my pet eat before surgery?

When your pet is admitted to the animal hospital or clinic on the day of an operation, you will need to fill in admission paperwork. One of the most important questions you will be asked is "when did your pet last eat and drink". It is vital that your pet have an empty stomach before the operation and if your pet has had food within the restricted period – your vet needs to know – or your pet’s health will be at risk.

For some operations, your pet will need to be anaesthetised. This means that your pet will need an empty stomach prior to any anaesthetic being administered. Just like with humans, having food or liquid in their stomach during surgery can put your pet at risk of asphyxiating – or choking – while they are unconscious.

In most cases, if there is a danger of your pet still having something in their stomach, the vet will choose to delay the operation by a few hours – just to be safe. It’s much better to give exact information, than to risk your pet being injured during or after surgery.

So make sure to ask your vet if, and for how long, you need to restrict your pet from eating or drinking before surgery.