After surgery, pets need specific care, just like people do. Even though there is no “one-size-fits-all” way to care for a pet, you can do a few things to make it feel better. If you understand how to take care of your pet after surgery, you can help your pet get back to normal as quickly and easily as possible. In today’s blog, we’ll discuss how to take care of your pet after surgery.
Collect Contact Details
It is very important to have the phone numbers for your family veterinarian and your local emergency clinic (or surgeon or another specialty). Please don’t be afraid to call the vet if you have questions. They are there to help you, and there are no dumb questions about your pet’s health. Look up “vet checkup near me” if you currently don’t have a vet near your area.
Take Note of Discharge Instructions
Pay close attention to the instructions for getting out. A staff member should go over them with you line by line, if possible. Ask questions after surgical services, make notes, know when to start which medications, when to return for rechecks or to have sutures removed, and what to look out for. If you can, make follow-up appointments while you are at the clinic.
Care for Bandages
Bandages and splints must be taken care of properly so bad things don’t happen. Keep them clean and dry, and change them as often as your vet tells you to. You should change them once a week, or more often if something is wrong. The main problem with wearing them for a long time is that they can cause pressure sores. Putting on a good bandage is both an art and a science. So, it should be done by a vet or a technician who has done it before.
Every day, splints and bandages should be checked for signs of irritation, swelling, or dampness, and if any are found, they should be reported. Wrap bandages and splints in plastic to keep them dry when your pet is outside. Your pet should always be out in the open when it is inside.
Provide a Confined Space
Depending on the type of operation, your pet might not be able to jump, run, or go on furniture (like beds and sofas) or stairs. Follow your vet’s advice at all times. A cat with eyelid surgery won’t have the same restrictions as a dog with a broken bone that has been fixed.
Veterinarians don’t usually recommend crates unless you get one big enough for a St. Bernard and a Chihuahua. Large dogs should be kept in a small space with no furniture, while cats and small dogs should be kept in an upside-down baby or puppy playpen. Why is it backward? So your pet doesn’t jump over the edge.
The place where you keep your pet should be comfortable, so give cats a cozy bed, food, water, and a litter box.
Check the Incision
Every day, look at the wound to see if it is swollen, bruised, bleeding, or leaking. Your vet or nurse should follow any special instructions about how to keep the wound clean and dry. Vets from places like KittrellAH.com usually say to clean it gently with tap water and a soft cloth or paper towel if there is any drainage. Please keep the plastic cone on your pet, so it doesn’t lick or eat the stitches. This is also called an “Elizabethan collar” or an “E-collar.” The longer you keep the cone on, the faster your pet will get used to it. And until then, everyone will keep their minds.
Conclusion
Depending on what kind of surgery was done, your pet should feel better and be more active a few days after the procedure. Here, let your pet move more. Keep an eye on your pet, so they don’t do too much. Physical treatment may be needed for your pet. Plan them ahead of time to make sure you and your pet can go to all of them. Call your vet if anything goes wrong. Recovery could take weeks or months. Keep your cool, and things should work out. You don’t want to undo all the good you did for your pet by letting it go back to normal too soon.