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Post-Operative Instructions

TONIGHT…

Your pet has had major surgery and was under general anesthesia, which means they were completely asleep and unable to feel or move.

  • Being groggy and/or sleepy the night of surgery is normal as the anesthesia doesn’t fully wear off until the next day.
  • Some common side effects of anesthesia are whining, vocalizing, shaking, or trembling. These symptoms should be resolved by the morning after surgery and are normal if seen on the evening of surgery.

Your pet may or may not feel like eating dinner this evening – this is normal so do not worry.

  • If needed, you can entice your dog to eat with plain cooked chicken and rice, canned dog food, lunch meat, etc. Cats may like canned food or tuna.
  • If your pet won’t eat, just let them rest and try again in the morning.
  • An isolated episode of vomiting or diarrhea the night of surgery is also common and usually resolves by morning. If your pet experiences multiple episodes of vomiting or lethargy lasting more than 12 hours, you may walk into the clinic where surgery was performed for a free recheck during business hours, or you may contact us at surgery@standforanimals.org. Email is monitored during business hours Monday through Friday and between 12pm and 5pm on the weekends.

ONGOING POST OP CARE….

Pain medication is included for all pets. Some pets may receive an injection of medication following surgery, and some may go home with additional medication.

DOGS: Your dog received an injection of an anti-inflammatory medication post operatively that will last for 24 hours. Another anti-inflammatory and pain medication, Carprofen, is in your discharge packet. You should start this medication, which is labeled and cut up in the correct dosage, the morning after surgery. Additional pain medication may be sent home with animals as necessary.

FEMALE CATS: Your cat received a pain injection following surgery. You have been provided with oral medication to help manage pain and reduce anxiety during recovery. Please follow the dosing instructions provided on the prescription label. If capsules were provided, these may be given with food to make administration easier.

MALE CATS: Your cat received a long-acting pain injection during surgery. No additional pain medications are required.

The incision should look better each day. Check the incision site at least twice daily.

  • Some initial redness and swelling may be present but should be minimal and improve daily if you limit activity and do not allow your pet to lick their incision site.

No bathing, swimming or grooming for 14 days after surgery as the incision needs to stay clean and dry. Do not apply topical ointment to the incision as it will encourage your pet to lick. Do not put any type of bandage over the incision.

  • If you notice excessive redness, swelling, bruising or the incision looks open or has any discharge, you may walk into the clinic where your pet’s surgery was performed for a free recheck during business hours. You may also email a picture of the incision to surgery@standforanimals.org. When you email please be sure to include your name, your pet’s name and the location and date of the surgery. Email is monitored during business hours Monday through Friday and between 12pm and 5pm on the weekends.

DO NOT ALLOW YOUR PET TO CHEW OR LICK THE INCISION. Licking can cause an infection or the incision to open. It is strongly recommended that you purchase an e collar from us to prevent your pet from licking their incision.

In male dogs, the incision may be made directly on the scrotum and left open to heal naturally.

You may see a small amount of drainage or spotting for the first few days. This is expected and is part of normal healing.

Sutures are internal and will dissolve over time. A protective layer of surgical skin glue is also placed on top of the incision.

Unless you are told otherwise, your pet does not have external sutures. If your pet did receive surgical skin staples, we will notify you of this, and you will need to schedule an appointment to have them removed in 10-14 days.

For male cats, incisions are not sutured closed. They are left open and will heal on their own within a few days.

It is very important that you limit your pet’s activity after surgery. Over-activity can lead to swelling and opening of the incision. For female dogs, male dogs, and female cats, please limit your pet’s activity for 10-14 days after surgery. Male cats should have their activity limited for 5-7 days.

  • Dogs should be leash-walked outside to go potty and should not be allowed to run, jump, or rough-house.
  • Cats should not be allowed to jump.

Female cats and dogs should be kept away from intact males for at least 14 days, because it takes time for the hormones to leave their system after getting fixed. It can be extremely dangerous and life threatening if they are allowed to mate with a male.

All pets receive a small green tattoo near their incision site as a permanent identification that they have been altered. Male cat tattoos are placed on their abdomen near their umbilicus (belly button) and a small patch of fur has been shaved for this purpose.

In the event of a life-threatening emergency that occurs after hours, please take your pet to either CARE or Denver Animal Emergency.

CARE: 3726 Latrobe Dr, Charlotte NC 28211, 704-457-2300

Denver Animal Emergency: 1420 NC-16 Business, Denver NC 28037, 980-222-7115

Examples of an emergency may include:

  • Pale gums
  • Labored breathing
  • Extreme lethargy
  • Excessive vomiting and/or diarrhea
  • Excessive discharge and/or bleeding from the incision
  • Difficulty urinating

TO REACH US REGARDING A MEDICAL CONCERN:

You may walk into the clinic where your pet’s surgery was performed during business hours for a free recheck. Fees may apply if medications and/or an e collar are necessary.

  • You may also send an email to surgery@standforanimals.org. Please include your name, your pet’s name and the location and date of surgery. Email is monitored during business hours Monday through Friday and between 12pm and 5pm on the weekends.

Stand For Animals will treat at our clinic, at minimal cost, any post-op complications resulting directly from the surgery if the post-operative instructions were followed in full. Your regular veterinarian must address illness or injuries that are not a direct result of the surgery. Please call for an appointment as soon as you see cause for concern. We cannot be held responsible for complications resulting from failure to follow post-op instructions, or for contagious disease for which the animal was not properly vaccinated prior to entering our facility.

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