Post op info: How to help your pet recover safely and swiftly

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Post-operative care is crucial for the recovery and well-being of dogs and cats following surgery.

We’ve put together a comprehensive guide for post-operative surgical advice for our patients.

Rest and Restriction

Provide a quiet, comfortable and confined area for your pet to rest and recover.

Use a crate or small room to limit movement and prevent injury.

Restrict your pet's activity to short leash walks for bathroom breaks only.

Avoid running, jumping, climbing stairs or engaging in strenuous activity.

Pain Management

Administer any prescribed pain medications as directed by our team to keep your pet comfortable during the recovery period.

Monitor your pet for signs of pain, such as restlessness, panting or vocalisation – and contact us if you have concerns.

Incision Care

Keep the surgical incision site clean and dry.

Follow any specific wound care instructions provided by our team.

Monitor the incision site daily for signs of redness, swelling, discharge or odour.

Bandage and Splint Care

If your pet has a pressure bandage on their leg, from where the intravenous cannula will have been placed, please remove this to ensure that the paw does not become swollen.

If your pet has a bandage or splint, ensure it remains clean, dry and intact.

Monitor the bandage or splint for signs of slipping, loosening or irritation.

Contact our team if adjustments are needed.

Nutrition and Hydration

Ensure your pet has access to fresh water at all times to stay hydrated.

Feed them a balanced diet to support healing and recovery – and follow any dietary recommendations we’ve provided.

Medication Administration

Administer any prescribed medications, including antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs, as directed by our team.

Do not give your pet any additional medications without consulting with us first.

Activity Management

Gradually increase your pet's activity level once signed off to do so by our team.

Start with short, leash walks and gradually extend the duration and intensity over time.

Avoid allowing your pet to engage in rough play or high-impact activities until we’ve checked them over and told you they’re ready.

Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy

We may recommend physical therapy exercises or rehabilitation sessions to improve your pet's strength, mobility and joint function.

Follow any prescribed exercise programs or rehabilitation protocols closely to facilitate your pet's recovery.

Follow-Up Appointments

Schedule follow-up appointments with us as recommended to monitor your pet's progress, remove any sutures or staples, and assess surgical site healing.

Attend all scheduled appointments to ensure proper healing and address any concerns promptly.

Following fracture or orthopaedic surgery

Recovery time will be longer following orthopaedic surgery and it is important that you ensure that your pet gets plenty of rest. That means no running, jumping or playing for eight to 12 weeks – crate rest can help with this. Ask our team if you need advice on how to keep your pet safe during this time.

Some swelling and bruising around the surgical site and lower down the leg is expected following these surgeries. In order to reduce this, you can use ice packs wrapped in a tea towel or blanket, applied for 20 minutes every three to four hours throughout the day.

We recommend a check up appointment with Dr Vanessa six weeks after orthopaedic procedures, to ensure everything is healing as it should. We’ll contact you after five weeks to remind you, but feel free to book it in at any point.

Following Spays and Castrates

Castrates involve removing the testicles and spays involve removing the ovaries – so there will be a surgical wound, which you need to keep an eye on.

It might spot blood and be a little swollen or red on the first few days, but this should not get any worse. If there is any excessive bleeding, funny smells or discharges, swelling or redness after a few days please let us know.

Monitoring and Contact Information

Keep a close eye on your pet's overall condition and behaviour throughout the recovery period.

By following these guidelines and providing attentive care, your pet will be back to their old self in no time.

Send us a message if there is anything you are not sure of and one of the team will get back to you. We are here to help!