Care Tips After Sterilizing or Spaying Your Pet
Care Tips After Sterilizing or Spaying Your Pet
Putting any animal through surgery can be nerve wrecking. The care you need to provide for your pet after its operation can reduce the risk of postoperative complications and make recovery process comfortable. Recovery from spaying surgery takes approximately 10 to 14 days.
Essential Items
E-collar (traditional “cone” or inflatable e-collar) Pet bed Pet food and water dishes Pee pads or cat litter Towel or blanket A quiet room away from children and other pets.
Keep Environment Clean & Quiet
Once you get your pet home, your pet will need some peace and quiet so that he can rest and recover. You should not invite people over to come and visit your dog. While he will be pleased to see these humans, having them there will distract him from having sufficient rest.
Stay Home For 24 Hours
It is a good idea for you to be home for the first 24 hours after surgery. This is to ensure that you can make sure that your dog is eating, alert, going to the toilet, and not in too much pain. If anything happens that concerns you during this first 24 hour period, you can always phone your vet for advice. If you have no choice but to leave the house, consider getting a trusted family member by his side.
Feed Light Diet To Your Pet
After your dog’s anesthetic has begun to wear off, you will be able to feed her. However, give her a light meal, rather than her regular portions. The anesthetic can make some dogs feel nauseous, and eating a full meal may cause your dog to vomit.
Poor Balancing Skills
Immediately following surgery, dogs tend to exhibit poor balance. This is probably one of the first things you will notice. It’s an after-effect of anesthesia and it is completely normal, though not all dogs exhibit this problem. Remember the following tips: 1. Walk behind the dog as she walks up stairs, so you can catch him if he falls. 2. Walk slowly. 3. Be prepared to help him into the car; don’t let him jump into the car. 4. Keep him away from kids and other pets. They may bump into him, causing him to fall or react aggressively due to pain. 5. Don’t allow him to jump onto the couch or bed. He may miss and the sudden movement can result in torn stitches.
Keep Your Pet From Licking The Wound
Do not let your dog or any other animal lick the incision, as this carries a high risk of infection and breaking the stitches. To prevent him from doing this, there are a variety of cone collars to choose from. These collars are variously described as looking like an Elizabethan ruff, a lampshade, or a bucket with the bottom taken out. Most are made from clear plastic. Pick a collar that fits your dog. The narrow end of the collar sits around the dog’s neck and is held in place with her regular collar. The wider end of the cone should project two to three inches (5-7.5 cm) beyond her nose, so the collar is between him and the wound. Alternatively, you can get the dog an inflatable neck brace, to prevent the dog from turning his head. These look a lot like life-saver inflatable rings and are fitted to the diameter of your dog’s neck.
