Tips for At-Home Post-Op Care for Your Pet
Posted on: 26 November 2018
Surgery is just as draining for animals as it is for humans. Thus, whether your pet has undergone minor surgery, such as neutering, or major surgery in the form of cancer mass removal, it is critical to provide your pet with the best at-home care so that they can heal fast and have an uneventful recovery period. But manoeuvring through post-op care can be quite intimidating to pet owners, particularly if your pet has never gone under the knife before. If you are prepping to take your pet in for vet surgery, read on for some helpful tips for at-home post-op care for your pet.
Keep your pet confined
With most types of vet surgery, your pet's movements will need to be restricted, at least for a couple of days. The main aim of confinement is to ensure that your pet does not engage in strenuous activities that can cause stitches to unravel. Furthermore, if the operation was carried out on a major organ, it is essential to limit activity so that the body part can get adequate time to heal without being exposed to movement.
So how can you achieve this? First, it is advisable to invest in an enclosed pen that will keep your pet confined to one area. Second, if your pet is a ball of energy, you could ask your vet to prescribe some sedatives that will keep your pet calm and inactive.
Be wary of infections
Even when vet surgery is successful, one of the main risks to be on the lookout for is the development of an infection. Infections are highly opportunistic, so it is critical to monitor the surgical site daily for any warning signs of trouble. There are a few things that you can do to minimise the threat of an infection. For starters, it is critical to administer the antibiotics that the vet will provide you with because they will work to prevent any festering of the wound.
Second, you should try your best to keep the surgical site untouched. So it may be wise to have your pet's legs bound for a while, especially if the wound is within reach of its paws. Last, keep a sharp eye out for any symptoms of a potential infection. Some of the early signs include a fever, pus oozing out of the wound and inflammation of the surgical site. If your pet does develop any of these symptoms, you should rush it to your local vet immediately.
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