Which of the following is NOT a typical pre-surgical instruction for an animal?

The correct answer indicates that restricting the animal's activity 8 hours before surgery is not a standard pre-surgical instruction. Typical pre-surgical guidelines primarily focus on dietary restrictions—both food and water—to ensure the animal's safety during anesthesia.

Fasting before surgery is crucial as it reduces the risk of aspiration, which can occur if an animal vomits while anesthetized. Therefore, not feeding the animal 12 hours prior to surgery is a common instruction, as is the recommendation to withhold water for a certain period, generally around 8 hours.

The instruction to arrive with the pet at a specified drop-off time is also standard practice for veterinary procedures to ensure efficient scheduling and prepare for the surgical process.

In contrast, while it may be advised to limit an animal's activity in the days leading up to surgery, there isn't a strict guideline regarding activity restrictions in the 8-hour window prior to surgery. This may vary depending on the hospital’s protocols, but typically, specific activity limitations are less emphasized compared to dietary restrictions. Thus, it is correct that restricting activity specifically 8 hours before surgery is not a common pre-surgical requirement.