Your pet has had a major surgery under a general anesthesia. Your pet was given a sedative, an anti-inflammatory and a pain shot to help with recovery and to help lessen the post operative pain. Therefore, your pet’s behavior may be slightly altered for the next 24 hours. For example, your pet may be glassy-eyed, wobbly, shivering, sleepy, nauseous, and irritable. They may cry or whine as well. Listed below are a few helpful tips to make your pet’s recovery easier for both of you:
1. Let your pet rest in a quiet comfortable area.
2. Offer a small amount of water when you get home and a small amount of food in the evening.
3. The morning after surgery you can feed as usual.
4. Keep your pet inside for the next 3 or 4 days- dogs may go outside to go potty or for a small walk. The goal is to keep the surgery site clean to avoid infection.
5. Your pet needs to have limited activity for 10 days-no jumping, jogging, hiking or rough housing with other pets. For larger male dogs we highly recommend icing the surgery site for the first couple of days and cage rest for the first four days. Please cover the ice pack with a clean towel prior to placing it on the skin.
6. Check the surgery site daily for 7 days. If there are any signs of infection (pus, oozing, redness)please call our office or the after hour mobile phone right away.
7. Do not let your pet lick or chew at the incision. This can cause infection and delay healing for your pet. If they are licking you can get an Elizabethan collar/cone at your local pet store, or from our office. No licking, bathing or swimming for 10 days.
8. The sutures/stitches are internal and will dissolve. They will go away on their own and do not need to be removed.
9. DO NOT give your pet aspirin or Tylenol. It can be toxic or fatal. Pain medication that was sent home with you should be started the day after surgery, with food. Do not give if your pet is not eating as it can irritate the stomach.
10. If more than 24 hours after surgery your pet is not eating, is lethargic or is vomiting please call our office. Simi Valley Spay and Neuter Clinic (open Mon-Thu 8-4pm for calls): 805-584-3823
Please check out our aftercare video. It may answer any questions you have about your pets care post surgery