Page 3282 - Cote clinical veterinary advisor dogs and cats 4th

Consent to Perform Amputation

VetBooks.ir Patient name:_________________________________
Pet owner’s name:_____________________________ Med rec #____________
Best contact during/after procedure (e.g., cell phone number):____________________

the risks, your animal will be monitored closely during the surgery
INTRODUCTION and recovery from anesthesia. The decision to proceed with this
We want to make sure that you understand the planned medical surgery is based on having assessed that the anticipated benefit
procedure to be performed on your pet. You should know why the is greater than the anesthetic risks.
procedure has been suggested, what the potential benefits are for
your pet, and the most common/important risks of the procedure. FORESEEABLE RISKS TO THE PROCEDURE
Alternatives to this procedure, when applicable, will be discussed For healthy animals, amputation is generally a safe procedure.
with you. It is also important that you recognize that medicine is Animals with other illnesses or injury are more likely to have some
not an exact science, and that the outcome cannot be guaranteed. complications. Pets with orthopedic disease in the remaining limbs
We encourage you to ask us as many questions as required for (for example, hip dysplasia) might have a harder time learning how
you to make a well-informed decision. to walk on three legs. With any surgery, there is a risk of bleeding
and postoperative pain. Additionally, there is the risk of seroma
BENEFITS/OPTIMAL OUTCOME OF THE PROCEDURE (fluid-filled pocket around incision), infection of the surgical site,
Amputation involves the permanent removal of an injured or diseased and dehiscence (opening of incision). Amputation of a leg with
limb. The procedure should provide animals with improved comfort. cancer will likely not cure the cancer. However, amputation of a
It is often easier for a pet to move about with just three legs than leg with cancer will usually remove a source of pain and make the
with four if one of those legs is severely abnormal. Most dogs and pet more comfortable.
cats adapt very well to life with three legs.
Other anticipated risks specific to your pet:___________________
EXPLANATION OF THE PROCEDURE
Your pet will have the hair clipped from the limb that is to be removed. _________________________________________________________
Under anesthesia, the entire limb will be surgically removed, and the
surgical incision will be closed using multiple layers of sutures or skin
staples. After surgery, your pet will need to wear an Elizabethan collar ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROCEDURE
(E-collar) for 10-14 days to allow the surgical incision to heal. Your Alternatives to amputation depend on the reason the procedure is
pet’s activity will be restricted during this time in order to minimize recommended. For complicated fractures (broken legs) or injuries
the risk of complications. Many dogs will need to be supported with to the muscle or other tissues of the leg, there are often options
a sling in the initial period or recovery, as s/he learns to walk on other than amputation. These options might require care from a
three legs. For at least several days after the surgery, your pet will veterinary surgical specialist.
be given analgesic drugs to control any associated pain. Once the If the amputation is recommended to remove a leg with known
site of the surgery is healed in about 2 weeks, the sutures or skin or suspected cancer, there may be other options as well. There
staples will need to be removed. would likely require consultation with a veterinary oncologist.
Additional procedures planned for your pet at the same time
as the amputation: AUTHORIZATION
By signing this form below, you agree that:
____________________________________________________________ • You understand how/why the procedure is likely to help your
pet
USE OF SEDATIVES OR ANESTHESIA • You understand what will be done to your pet during the
This procedure requires general anesthesia, which is the administra- procedure
tion of injectable and inhaled anesthetic medications that cause for • You understand the known risks that accompany the procedure,
your pet to become unconscious. Anesthesia is performed routinely and also understand that unforeseen complications may occur
with good outcomes, but it does come with risks, including aspiration • You understand that the procedure may not produce the results
pneumonia (infection in the lungs) and even a very small risk of death. we hope to achieve
These risks are higher with animals that have multiple or severely • You understand the alternatives to this procedure for your pet
debilitating comorbidities (poor health ailments). Sometimes, local • You agree that you have been given time to ask questions regard-
anesthetics will be used to block pain at the level of the nerves ing the procedure, that these have been answered satisfactorily,
during the surgery and immediately postoperatively. To minimize and that you are free to decline the procedure.

From Cohn and Côté: Clinical Veterinary Advisor, 4th edition. Copyright © 2020 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.