ARM boards with slotted RAM use the same type as x86 (although mostly LPDDR, as found in laptops), so I assume there isn’t any difference that is related to the CPU architecture.

If it is anything like other surgeries done at vets, the risky part with such an old animal is the sedation, not the surgery itself. And with animals you usually need to fully sedate them, as they don’t understand that they need to stay still.