Is pet surgery safe at Dundee Animal Hospital?

Yes, our veterinary team follows strict safety protocols tailored to your pet’s specific needs. We are also AAHA-accredited, which ensures the highest standards in veterinary care.

What can I expect before, during, and after my pet’s surgery?

Before surgery, your pet undergoes exams and pre-op testing. During surgery, they are closely monitored by a technician. After surgery, they receive fluids, pain relief, and personalized care instructions.

What kinds of surgeries do you offer?

We perform general and elective procedures including spays/neuters, mass removals, foreign body removal, orthopedic surgery, cystotomies, and more.

Do you offer overnight care or medical boarding?

Yes, our Dundee location offers 24/7 overnight care and medical boarding for pets with special medical needs, including those requiring insulin or multiple medications.

Pet Surgery

Safe & Compassionate Pet Surgery in Cook, Kane, & McHenry County

If your veterinarian recommends cat or dog surgery, you may have several questions. Will it be safe? Will my pet be in pain? How long will it take them to heal? We can answer all of these questions and more at Dundee Animal Hospital, where our expert veterinary surgery team puts patient safety above everything else. Your pet is a beloved part of your family, and we know how important it is to give them the best possible care while they are with us. Furthermore, as an AAHA-accredited hospital, you can rest assured that we will take every measure necessary to make sure your pet is healthy, happy and pain-free when they leave our facility.

We encourage you to ask any questions you have about your pet’s surgery. We will be glad to fill you in on what to expect the day of their procedure. It is important to us that you fully understand every step of the pet surgery process and feel comfortable placing your pet in our care.

What to Expect Before, During, and After Cat & Dog Surgery

Before: Your pet will have an anesthetic and pain management protocol tailored to their specific needs. Creating this protocol requires a pre-surgical exam and testing to gauge their current health status. This will help us determine whether we need to take any special steps to ensure their safety during surgery. The findings we obtain from this initial step are also necessary for administering the correct anesthesia levels. The day of your pet’s surgery, we will pre-medicate your pet with a light sedative and analgesics (pain relief medication). We will then place a catheter for giving IV fluids, along with medication to help us place a tracheal tube for intubation if necessary.

During: During every dog or cat surgery, we will maintain a sterile, safe environment and use a sterile surgical pack exclusive to their procedure. An experienced technician will monitor your pet’s heart rate, heart rhythm, blood pressure and oxygen levels throughout the surgery. We also monitor your pet’s vital signs while they are waking up in our recovery area.

After: Your pet will continue receiving fluids and additional medication if necessary to help their recovery go smoothly. One of our team members will reach out to let you know how your pet is doing, and when you can expect to bring them home. We will provide you with take-home pain relief medication (in liquid or tablet form), along with instructions for managing your pet’s care in the following days. Our Dundee veterinarian is available 24/7 to answer your questions or address concerns.

Our Pet Surgery Services

Our veterinarians can perform a variety of general and elective surgeries, from spay and neuter procedures to orthopedics. This also includes:

Medical Boarding and Overnight Care

Our Dundee location is happy to offer medical boarding or 24/7 overnight care for its patients. This way, we will not need to transfer your pet to another hospital if they need further treatment or supervision. Our medical boarding service is especially ideal for pets that are diabetic and need routine insulin injections, and for pets taking multiple medications. If you like, you may also board your other “healthy” pet to accompany their sibling. The standard boarding fee will apply, and your pets must be up-to-date on their distemper combination and kennel cough vaccinations.

Your pet will be in good hands during their stay with us, and you are more than welcome to call at any time to check on them. They will be staying in a comfortable, secure space and walked every 2-4 hours as appropriate. If you would like to know more about our overnight monitoring or medical boarding services, call any of our locations today.

Why People Trust Dundee Animal Hospital

For over 60 years, Dundee Animal Hospital has built a strong legacy of veterinary excellence, with each generation of staff passing down invaluable knowledge and experience. Today, that legacy empowers our skilled doctors and dedicated support team to deliver outstanding care for a wide variety of pets—including dogs, cats, birds, pocket pets, and exotic animals.

With a commitment to innovation and compassion, our hospitals in Dundee, Elgin, and Algonquin, IL, continue to raise the standard of care for both pets and their owners. We offer high-quality veterinary medicine, helpful educational resources, and exclusive promotions for our clients.

We invite you to learn more about us—and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us at (847) 278-9942.

Over 60 Years of Veterinary Knowledge & Experience

24/7 Emergency Services Available

Committed to the Safety of Your Pets

STAY UP TO DATE

Read Our Blog

Real Stories from Real Owners

Excellent

Dundee Animal Hospital

Based on 723 reviews

See all reviews

review us on

K Tarte

It is difficult to put into words just how grateful and thankful I was and will always be for the IMMEDIATE Emergency Care Dundee Animal Hospital’s Angelic Jeanette, Dr. Holter & Team provided just before midnight 2 weeks ago when my precious little 11 1/2 year-old Chihuahua was silently and severely suffering…
She had never been diagnosed with a heart murmurs until a few days before when she didn’t want to take a walk and slept a lot more than usual. The vet recommended she be seen by heart specialists (who told me I could bring her for an MRI but no heart specialist would be there and the soonest we could see a heart doctor was 2 weeks… on top of that, the receptionist behaved as if I was wasting her time.
Upon reading ‘Lap of Love’ online article about what to consider and steps to take to best help your deeply loved companion, I realized she was slowly suffocating but could not tell me (30 breaths per minute is the average; but her count was 70 !!)
I prayed earnestly 🙏🙏🙏 while Googling ‘Closest 24/7 Emergency Animal Hospital’ to my zio code, and Dundee Animal Hospital popped up. On the second ring, calm and compassionately kind Jeanette picked up, answered all my questions. And as difficult a decision as it had been, I now just knew the most loving and caring thing my husband and I could do for our precious and deeply loved Little Girl of ❤️’ …They were only 10 minutes away - and during the drive Sweet Pepper Ann looked into my eyes and licked my hand with her little dry tongue as if to say, ‘I love you and know that you and papa are going to help me.”

Marita Strozier

I cannot recommend Dundee Animal Hospital of Algonquin enough. Dr. O'Brien Jungels cared for my cockatiel (who has been suffering from a chronic sinus infection for some time) and I have seen a drastic improvement in my bird's health.

The Doctor was knowledgeable, patient, and came up with a comprehensive and realistic treatment plan (both long and immediate term) and examined my bird in the room with me (my previous veterinarian rarely would examine my birds while I was present due to lack of examination rooms)

Appointment time was very prompt and I was taken care of right away--at my old vet, I would be at the appointment for a minimum of 3 hours due to their caseload (with no check ins or updates on queue/triage status)

All in all, this was night and day from my past experiences, and I am so grateful to have found a new vet for my birds! Thank you so much!

Christina Conway

We've been clients here for over 10 years, never a bad experience. They are considerate, friendly, compassionate and always take the time to address our concerns.

Chris H

I don't remember the intake nurse or the doctors names for that I apologize they worked with my Abby and they both provided a warn welcoming atmosphere both people talk to you and not at you like other vets. Meds were a little high priced but we'll worth being able to set a same day appointment without the emergency fee attached. 4.5 stars.