by Petfolk
Pet surgery can be a difficult time for you and your pet. Even minor surgical procedures can cause stress for both of you. Knowing what to do and how to rest your pet after surgery can help ensure proper healing and a full recovery. Remember the following after-surgery pet care tips when your dog or cat needs a procedure.
After-Surgery Pet Care for Dogs
Post-Surgical Care Instructions
Your vet will provide you with instructions to follow in order to care for your dog during recovery. Before leaving the vet’s office or animal hospital, ask for clarification on anything you don’t understand.
Comfortable Recovery Spot
Create a comfortable environment for your dog to rest in after having surgery. This involves setting up a clean, soft bed or a crate, along with food and water bowls that are within each reach for your dog. Make sure you choose a quiet area of your home, so your dog can rest as much as possible.
Potty Tips
Your dog should avoid running around outside during recovery. Keep your dog on a leash when you take them out for potty breaks. Another option is to set up potty pads, which give your dog a designated place to eliminate indoors if needed.
Tips to Crate Resting Dog After Surgery
For minor surgical procedures, such as soft tissue surgery, your dog might be able to rest on a pet bed. However, your vet might recommend crate resting for major procedures, such as orthopedic surgery. Knowing how to get your dog to rest after surgery in a crate can help ensure a safe healing process. Staying in a crate for a certain period of time during recovery helps prevent your dog from moving around too much, which could lead to problems with the incision.
If your dog needs crate rest, choose a crate that allows them to stand up and turn around easily. The crate should also have room for food, water bowls, and toys. Place a blanket or non-slip mat on the bottom of the crate to create a comfortable surface for your dog. Giving your dog sturdy toys to chew on or puzzle toys can help reduce frustration and boredom during crate rest.
E-Collars
Surgical incisions can become infected, so it’s vital to ensure your dog doesn’t lick or chew on them. This can be challenging when your dog needs to stay in a crate most of the time or when you’re not around to watch them. An E-Collar can provide a safe and effective way to prevent chewing and licking. Keep in mind that your dog might need some time to get used to having an E-collar on.
Feeding Your Dog After Surgery
General anesthesia can cause dogs to feel nauseous or not have much of an appetite for the first day or two. Give them half their usual amount to eat when you bring your dog home on the first day. You can gradually increase this until your dog returns to eating their regular food. Give your dog light, homemade meals, such as plain chicken and rice, for the first day or two.
Follow-up Appointments
Pet after-surgery care typically involves one or more follow-up appointments. These appointments allow your vet to see how your dog is healing. Even if your dog seems to be okay, it’s important to go to these follow-up visits.
After-Surgery Pet Care for Cats
Post-Surgical Care Instructions
Your vet will give you detailed instructions on caring for your cat after surgery, including keeping the incision clean and safe from infections. Ask your vet any questions about after-surgery care for your cat before bringing them home.
Comfortable Recovery Spot
Your cat will need a comfortable place to rest after undergoing surgery. You can set up a cat bed in a closed-off room to stop your cat from being able to run around. Ensure your cat has a large enough crate to turn around and stand in. Put a blanket, a few toys, food, and water bowls in the crate with your cat. Remember that your vet might recommend crate rest if your cat had complex or major surgery.
Litterbox Tips
Your cat should resume using the litterbox as usual after coming home from surgery. If there are any changes in cat behavior after surgery, such as urinating outside the box, let your vet know. Consider switching to shredded or pelleted cat litter instead of clay litter since clay pieces can get stuck to bandages.
E-Collar for Cats
Chewing, licking, or scratching at surgical incisions can cause infections. If you’re unable to watch your cat during recovery, consider getting an E-collar. These collars prevent cats from being able to reach their incisions. Your cat might be upset when you first put the collar on, but they should get used to it fairly quickly.
Feeding Your Cat After Surgery
Follow your vet’s instructions for feeding your cat after surgery. Generally, cats should be given half of their usual amount of food on the first day since they might be nauseous. You can slowly increase the amount of food you give your cat after the first day.
Follow-up Appointments
Follow-up appointments for your cat are important to ensure the healing process goes smoothly. You should go to your cat’s follow-up appointments and talk to your vet about any concerns about your cat’s recovery.
FAQs on After-Surgery Pet Care
How long will recovery take?
Recovery can vary from a few weeks to several months, depending on the type of surgery your pet had. For example, soft tissue surgery might require a few weeks of recovery, while surgery on bones, ligaments, or tendons might require six months.
When can my dog return to normal activities?
Your dog might be able to resume normal activities once sutures are dissolved or removed, although it depends on the type of surgery that was done. In general, your dog might need to rest for up to two weeks before going back to normal activities. During that time, your dog should rest as much as possible and avoid running around or jumping. Your vet will let you know when it’s safe for your dog to return to normal activities.
What should the incision look like?
The skin around your pet’s incision should look slightly reddish-pink. The edges of the incision should not be open at all. The entire area should be kept clean to prevent infection.
When should I call the vet with concerns about incisions?
You should get in touch with your vet immediately if there are any signs of infection in your pet’s incision. Signs of infection include redness, swelling, and foul odors or discharge. If your pet has an infected incision, they might have a fever and a poor appetite.
Is it normal for my dog or cat to seem very sleepy?
The effects of general anesthesia, used for many pet surgeries, don’t go away immediately. It can take many hours for these effects to wear off. Your pet might be sleepy or tired for the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery.
What can I give my dog or cat for pain after surgery?
Your vet can give you pain medication that’s safe for your dog or cat. Ask your vet if you have any questions about how to administer the medicine or how much to give. You can also read the label on the medication for detailed instructions.
