After Surgery Instructions
Your pet has had major surgery that requires general anesthesia. What to expect when you get your pet home:
WGSNC does not recommend transporting any surgery patient on the outside/back of a car/truck, and is not responsible for any harm caused to that animal if transported that way.
It is imperative that ALL activity must be restricted for 14 days after surgery. No running, jumping, playing, swimming, or any other strenuous activity for 14 days.
Pets must be kept indoors where they can stay clean, dry and warm. No bathing for 14 days after surgery.
Dogs must be crated during recovery to restrict all activity. Dogs must be walked on a leash for 14 days for potty breaks. All of this is to prevent swelling at incision site.
Cats must be kept indoors in a confined area away from other pets for 14 days to restrict all extra activity.
Please replace your regular cat litter with shredded newspaper or “Yesterday’s News” for 10-14 days after surgery as regular clumping litter can get in the incision site and cause infection.
Check your pet’s incision site twice daily. Redness and swelling should be minimal.
An e-collar must be kept on your pet for 14 days after surgery to prevent licking and chewing at the incision site. Keep this e-collar on with a collar woven through the loops to ensure it is secure and your pet does not get it off. DO NOT CUT THE E-COLLAR, DO NOT TAKE IT OFF FOR 14 DAYS.
Your pet was given a pain injection at the time of surgery that will last for 24 hours. Please read all prescription labels and follow instructions for take home medications.
If your dog was pregnant or in heat, they may have small amounts of drainage/discharge from her vulva for up to 7-10 days. Large clots are not normal.
If your pet was in heat at the time of surgery, please keep her away from any intact males for at least 2 weeks.
If your pet was pregnant at the time of surgery, please feed her a high calorie food for 1-2 weeks.
The day of surgery, only feed ½ of what you normally feed and give ½ the amount of water you normally would for dinner. Appetite should return gradually within 24 hours of surgery. Vomiting or lack of appetite is normal the day of surgery due to anesthesia. Do not change your pet’s diet at this time, and do not give them junk food, table scraps, milk or any other people food during the recovery period. This could mask post-surgical complications.
Lethargy, diarrhea, or vomiting lasting longer than 24 hours is not normal, and your pet should be taken to your regular veterinarian.
Your pet received a green tattoo next to their incision. This tattoo is a scoring process in the skin; IT IS NOT AN EXTRA INCISION. DO NOT TRY TO WASH IT OFF.
The sutures used in surgery are on the inside and will dissolve on their own within 4-6 weeks. There is skin glue on the outside. Do not apply any ointments, creams, cleaners, or disinfectants to the incision area. Do not cover up the pet’s incision with clothes or bandages. There is no reason to return to the clinic to remove any sutures unless otherwise discussed with you at surgery discharge.
We offer post-operative rechecks on business days from 9am-12pm for any owner that has concerns with their pet since surgery
If there is an emergency after hours, contact your regular veterinarian or your local emergency hospital.
WGSNC will treat at our clinic, at minimal cost, any post-op complications resulting directly from surgery, ONLY if the post-operative instructions are followed in full. Your regular veterinarian must address illness or injuries that are not a direct result of surgery.
We cannot be held responsible for complications resulting from failure to follow post-op instructions or for contagious diseases for which the animal was not previously properly vaccinated.
Our veterinarians recommend that you establish a wellness program for your pet with a regular, full service veterinarian.
