Somehow, surgery is the least stressful part of major medical procedures. From the moment you pick your pet up, you’re responsible for keeping them moving forward, and you may need to make some major changes in the coming weeks. But how can you help your pet recover from surgery?
In this guide, we explain the basics of post-surgery care, what to think about, what to look out for, and when to reach out to your vet.
Put Vet Instructions at the Forefront
Your vet is the most useful resource at your disposal when it comes to post-surgery care. They’ve not only dedicated their lives to animal care but know exactly what your pet went through in their unique surgical situation, from medications they took to blood loss and how many stitches they needed.
Most veterinarians send home comprehensive instructions related to your pet’s specific needs, outlining many of the details below like:
- What to expect as your pet recovers
- What to look out for
- How to administer medication and care for surgical sites
Read these instructions carefully before you leave, and don’t hesitate to ask questions or take notes if anything is unclear to you. If you have questions in the future, reach out to your vet and they should be more than happy to help.
Understand What to Expect During Recovery
Surgery is a broad topic with many different branches of expectations, but we can go over some common ground here.
Most surgical procedures use general anesthesia to render your pet temporarily unconscious and prevent them from feeling the pain of poking, prodding, and slicing. Anesthesia is undoubtedly useful, but not without its downsides.
For the first day expect your pet to be a shadow of their usual self. They may not want to move around nearly as much, and when they do, they may seem a bit shaky or confused. Anesthesia can exasperate behavioral conditions like anxiety, and your pet may be a bit snappier than normal. Appetite is usually lower, and your pet may throw up small amounts of food or bile.
Most anesthesia wears off in a few hours, but effects can last 24 hours after they first wake up. If your pet is not doing any better after 48 hours or behaving dangerously or erratically, reach out to your veterinarian.
Signs of Pain After Surgery
Some normal signs of pain to expect after surgery include:
- Limping, difficulty, or reluctant moving
- Restlessness; circling or pacing
- Shaking and trembling
- Whining and whimpering
- Panting, howling, or yelping
- Irritation or aggression
- Hiding parts of their body
- Wanting more or less attention than normal
These symptoms should wane as postoperative time progresses.
Every pet’s threshold is different, so refer to your judgement when it comes to calling your veterinarian. For example, cats often hide signs of pain better than our canine friends. If you find yourself asking whether you should or should not, it’s usually best to make the call.
Pets that are refusing to eat or drink after the anesthesia wears off, or that are showing signs of a severe emergency, should get to the vet as soon as possible. There may be a post-surgery complication, such as an infection, that requires prompt intervention.
Limit Your Pet’s Movement Appropriately
Limiting mobility lets your pet’s body not only prevent injuries but allows it to allocate more resources toward a speedy recovery. Again, this looks different for every pet and different surgery types.
Give them somewhere calm and quiet to recover where other animals and young children cannot bother them. They should have plenty of room to stretch out their aching joints, but not so much that they can get a running start anywhere or jump up on furniture. Set up gates around stairs and off-limit areas if needed.
While crate rest may be useful after certain orthopedic procedures, it’s not as necessary as some may think. If your vet recommends crate rest, make sure they are accustomed to the crate beforehand and have enough room to stand and turn around. Avoid common crate training mistakes and make sure you add space in case they need a cone and for their food and water dishes.
If your pet spends time outside, keep them on a leash. Short walks are usually fine, but you don’t want to give them the opportunity to sprint around or try to scale a fence on a whim.
Understand How to Care for Incisions
Even if you think your pet will leave their surgical site alone, it’s best to have an Elizabethan collar or alternative on-hand. This will prevent them from reaching the wound and causing damage, requiring a trip back to the vet.
Some alternatives include:
- Donut style collars or neck braces
- Post surgery jumpsuits (baby onesies work for some smaller pets)
- Recovery wraps
Stitches are either dissolvable or will require removal in 10 to 14 days; your vet should tell you which your pet has. Either way, even gentle licking can interfere with healing and may even dissolve stitches earlier than needed.
Listen to your vet instructions about bandaging and have them show you how to replace bandages if needed. The important thing is to keep the surgical site dry, so dry bandages are a must. Wrap them in plastic before your pet goes outside, and remember to remove the plastic when they come back in.
Consider New Ways to Exercise and Entertain Your Pet
Your pet will be less worried about the technical details and more worried about how they’re going to burn off energy while recovering. Unlike us, they aren’t content with catching up on their favorite show.
Keep up with gentle exercise, perhaps trying a new type of walk, but consider mental games like:
- Sniff walks
- Puzzle feeders
- Chews or chew toys
Use their daily food, perhaps wetting and freezing it, for dispenser toys to prevent overeating, and make sure you keep treats to a minimum.
Giving your pet attention and running through basic obedience can also keep their mind sharp and tire them out without putting their recovery at risk.
