Do I really have to take water away the night before?

Not necessarily, and removing it too early can do more harm than good, especially in small or older animals at risk of dehydration. Modern fasting guidance tends to limit the time without solid food while leaving water for longer, but the exact duration depends on the procedure and the clinic. Do not decide alone: ask on the confirmation call until what time food and water are allowed and stick to those times, noting them somewhere you cannot forget.

My pet takes daily medication: do I stop it on the morning of admission?

Some drugs are continued right up to the day, others are paused hours or days before, and the answer changes from molecule to molecule. It is not a decision to make alone: bring the full list with doses and times to the confirmation call and have them tell you, drug by drug, what to do. A common case is a diabetic on insulin, who follows a dedicated protocol on the day of anaesthesia. Write the instructions and the time of the last dose, because the team will ask for it.

Can I stay with him or go in with him?

It depends on the facility and the type of procedure. Many clinics have drop off at reception and do not allow owners into the ward, both for safety and to avoid raising the animal's stress. Ask in advance how it works: knowing you will say goodbye at reception spares you a letdown and lets you prepare the separation, for example by leaving a blanket carrying your scent that can stay with him.

How much of the pickup day should I clear?

More than you think. Discharge times often slip by hours, because they depend on how the wake up goes and on how busy the clinic's day is. If you wedge the pickup between two commitments you risk having to rush precisely when the animal needs most calm. Keep the afternoon or evening free, set up the recovery area in advance, and expect the first hours at home to need your constant presence to watch the wake up and the first doses.

Health management35 minLevel: IntermediateUpdated on August 20, 2026

Preparing calmly for a planned hospital stay for your pet

From confirming the date to coming home: fasting, which drugs to pause or keep, papers to bring and the right questions to arrive genuinely prepared.

Audience: Pet owners
Species: Dog, Cat, All species
Scope: Valid everywhere, Italy, European Union

What you need before you start

La data e l'orario del ricovero confermati dalla clinica, con il nome del referente
L'elenco aggiornato dei farmaci che l'animale assume, con dose e ora dell'ultima somministrazione
Il libretto sanitario o l'accesso allo storico digitale, con l'ultimo peso registrato

A planned admission is different from an emergency: you have days to get ready, which is exactly why it is a shame to arrive unprepared. The gap between a calm homecoming and a chaotic day is not decided in the operating room, it is decided in the days before, when you organise the fast, clarify which medicines to pause, gather the paperwork and set up the home for recovery. Many procedures are postponed at the last minute over a meal given too late, a drug not mentioned or a doubt never cleared up on the phone. This guide walks you from the days before through to discharge, with the questions to ask the clinic and a checklist that removes the variables usually left to chance. It does not replace your vet's instructions: it makes them easier to follow.

The confirmation call: what to ask before you hang up

The call where you book the admission is the best moment to gather every practical detail, but it is also when anxiety distracts you most. Prepare your questions before you dial and write down the answers: asking again on the day often means missing the right person and being left with the doubt.

When food fasting must start and until what time water is allowed.
Which of the usual medicines to stop, which to continue and which to give with a small morsel in the morning.
What time to arrive and who to speak to on arrival, to avoid needless waits on an empty stomach.
Whether it is a same day discharge or an overnight stay, so you can organise home and people accordingly.
Which number to call during the day for news and who to turn to if something unexpected comes up.

Managing the fast without getting the timing wrong

The pre anaesthetic fast lowers the risk that stomach contents reach the airways during sedation. It is one of the few rules that depend entirely on you and one of the easiest to get wrong, because the dog begging for a meal or the cat stealing food tests the whole household's discipline.

Indicative fasting times in a healthy adult. The clinic's protocol always prevails, especially for puppies, very small animals or diabetics.
Item	Typical guidance	Practical note
Solid food	Stopped some hours before, per the clinic	Make the last meal light, not large
Water	Often allowed until a few hours before	Do not remove water too early without advice
Treats and scraps	Stopped along with food	Warn anyone at home who might offer them
Puppies and diabetics	Different rules, shorter fast	Follow only the vet's specific instructions

Preparing papers, a bag and the day

Gather the health history in one place
Record book, recent tests, reports and the drug list with doses. If you keep it digitally, check you can show or export it without relying on the clinic's connection.
Write the current drug list with the last dose given
For each drug note name, dose, time and when it was last given. It is the first thing the team asks and the thing you recall worst under pressure on the phone.
Prepare the carrier or lead with a clean cloth
An admission is calmer if the animal travels in a container it knows. Add a blanket or a shirt carrying the smell of home, which can stay with it.
Note your contacts and a backup number
Leave two numbers reachable during the day. If you will be out of contact for a few hours, say so in advance and state who decides for you in an urgent situation.
Clear more of the day than you think you need
Discharge times often slip. Do not wedge the pickup between two commitments: a freshly woken animal needs calm, not haste.
Set up the recovery area before you leave the house
You will not feel like arranging anything on return. Prepare a quiet, warm corner with no jumps to make, away from other animals, with water within reach.

At drop off and during the wait

Drop off is short and dense with information. You sign the consent, confirm your contacts and get a sense of the timing. It is worth slowing down for a few minutes to be sure you have understood, because during the wait you cannot ask as easily.

Read the consent form calmly and ask about anything unclear before you sign.
Confirm the number you will be called on and roughly when you will get news.
Ask how discharge will work and whether you should bring anything for the return, such as a light meal.
Avoid filling the day with calls to the clinic: agree when they will update you and wait for that moment.

Discharge: leaving with instructions you truly understand

Discharge is when you receive the most important information at the moment you are most tired and most relieved. It is a dangerous mix: you nod at everything and realise at home you remember half of it. Treat it as a formal handover, not a goodbye.

Have every drug written down, not just said, with dose, timing and for how many days.
Ask which signs are normal in recovery and which instead mean calling back at once.
Confirm when the animal may drink and eat again and how much on the first evening.
Ask whether there are stitches to check or remove and when the next review is planned.
Log the medicines and set the dose reminders while the instructions are fresh, not at day's end.

Frequently asked questions

Do I really have to take water away the night before?: Not necessarily, and removing it too early can do more harm than good, especially in small or older animals at risk of dehydration. Modern fasting guidance tends to limit the time without solid food while leaving water for longer, but the exact duration depends on the procedure and the clinic. Do not decide alone: ask on the confirmation call until what time food and water are allowed and stick to those times, noting them somewhere you cannot forget.
My pet takes daily medication: do I stop it on the morning of admission?: Some drugs are continued right up to the day, others are paused hours or days before, and the answer changes from molecule to molecule. It is not a decision to make alone: bring the full list with doses and times to the confirmation call and have them tell you, drug by drug, what to do. A common case is a diabetic on insulin, who follows a dedicated protocol on the day of anaesthesia. Write the instructions and the time of the last dose, because the team will ask for it.
Can I stay with him or go in with him?: It depends on the facility and the type of procedure. Many clinics have drop off at reception and do not allow owners into the ward, both for safety and to avoid raising the animal's stress. Ask in advance how it works: knowing you will say goodbye at reception spares you a letdown and lets you prepare the separation, for example by leaving a blanket carrying your scent that can stay with him.
How much of the pickup day should I clear?: More than you think. Discharge times often slip by hours, because they depend on how the wake up goes and on how busy the clinic's day is. If you wedge the pickup between two commitments you risk having to rush precisely when the animal needs most calm. Keep the afternoon or evening free, set up the recovery area in advance, and expect the first hours at home to need your constant presence to watch the wake up and the first doses.

What to do next

Use the confirmation call to lock down fasting, medicines and timing, write the current drug list with the last dose and gather the history in one place, then prepare the carrier, your contacts and the recovery area before leaving home. At discharge insist on written instructions, set the dose reminders straight away, and keep the pickup day clear so you can watch the wake up without rushing.