Surgery has been recommended as treatment for your dogs adrenal tumour, here are a few suggestions on what questions you should ask your surgeon:
1. Are you board certified? How many operations of this type have you done? What complications have you experienced? What were the outcomes?
2. Please explain to me how you will do the surgery, which part would likely give you the most trouble? Will you be doing the actual surgery or a resident in a teaching situation? If so, is their close supervision?
3. Will there be a specialist anaesthetist available for the surgery?
4. If it hasnt been done, do we need a CT/MRI scan to look at the tumour more closely to check for vena cava involvement or any other tumour spread?
5. What are the risks associated with this surgery, including
Bleeding (including trauma to blood vessels or other organs during surgery)
clots
Blood pressure or heart problems such as arrhythmias
pancreatitis
pneumonia
kidney failure
infection
wound problems
bowel problems
anaesthetic risks
adrenal insufficiency or electrolyte abnormalities
death (sorry but you have to ask that risk too)
6. If we proceed with surgery does my dog need preoperative treatment with Cushings meds, antihypertensive if high blood pressure is a problem phenoxybenzamine recommended preoperatively for dogs with pheochromocytoma, anticoagulants or anything else?
7. How will you treat to prevent clots postoperatively?
8. What would you do if you found anything else during the surgery i.e. nodules in other organs e.g. spleen, opposite adrenal, liver, kidney. Would you remove them and what are the risks associated when doing additional abdominal surgery together with adrenalectomy
9. How long will it take and when will you contact me so I know all is OK, when can I visit after surgery?
10. How will the postoperative period go, how long would you anticipate he would need to stay in hospital? How will we manage pain?
11. What monitoring would be needed, e.g. heart monitoring, oxygen levels in the postoperative period
12. If your dog has an adrenocortical tumour affecting cortisol production will he need to be on steroids following surgery and for how long?
13. If there are problems when I take him home, who do I contact? Hopefully the surgical team until all is stable.