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When a beloved cat or dog undergoes surgery, most owners focus on the procedure itself. Few think much about what happens afterward. Caring for a recovering animal can be a process that lasts days or weeks at home. The surgeon’s job is over; yours is just beginning. Knowing the basics of pet surgery recovery helps your companion heal safely and comfortably.
Administering Medications in Food
Most animals need to take pills after surgery, and hardly any will gladly take them. Use only a small amount of food when hiding a pill. This helps ensure your pet eats the medication. Once they’ve eaten the medicine, give them the rest of the meal. Avoid hiding pills in your pet’s favorite food. This prevents developing a food aversion after recovery.
If you’re coaxing them to eat by placing pills in other things, try light cream cheese. That minimizes fat intake that could lead to pancreatitis or other complications, and cream cheese packs around a pill like peanut butter, making it easy to administer. Or tear open a marshmallow, stuff a pill into the center and pack it closed. That’s a hypoallergenic option for animals with sensitive stomachs or food allergies.
Other Ways to Give Medicines After Surgery
Crush pills or open capsules and mix the powder into food. You can also blend it with cream cheese and apply it to the tongue or roof of the mouth.
You can fold a piece of paper in half, crush pills into a powder or open capsules on the paper, then use the crease of the paper to pour the powder into a syringe. Remove the syringe plunger, pour in the powder, then replace the plunger. Draw up water or chicken broth and administer the medication in liquid form.
Ask your family veterinarian about using a compounding pharmacy. Request a flavor your pet will enjoy. Choosing an easy medication method is an important part of successful pet surgery recovery.
Restricting Activity During Pet Surgery Recovery
After general soft-tissue surgery, most pets’ activities should be restricted for 10 to 14 days, the typical healing timeline for incisions. After orthopedic surgery, most pets should be prevented from running, jumping and participating in traditional outdoor activities. Some pets need restricted movement for six to 10 weeks. The timeline depends on the injury’s severity. Here are some options for confining your pet or restricting activity:
- Laundry room, bathroom or walk-in closet. Animals may be kept in the room with the door closed. Dogs can be restrained by a baby gate in the door frame as long as they can’t jump over it.
- Baby gate sealing off the kitchen
- Larger baby gates with an integrated door that can block off a section of a hallway. These devices allow you to move through the area without removing the gate.
- Canine exercise pen or playpen
- Child’s Pack ’n Play
- Attaching a leash or harness to sturdy inanimate objects allows your pet to remain near you while limiting movement
Mobility Support
Consider adding yoga mats or non-slip runners on slippery surfaces to improve paw grip during pet surgery recovery.
You may want to use a sling, either commercially made or one fashioned from a large towel or a Help ‘Em Up harness. Handles on both the front and rear harnesses help you get medium-sized to larger dogs into a standing position, which they’ll need to do when urinating or defecating. These devices can also assist with climbing stairs.
Medic Mutts Adventure Gear offers custom slings and recovery shirts tailored for pets and specifically targets “tripod pets” undergoing amputation surgery. When you know your pet will have surgery, order before the procedure so you have immediate assistance with mobility when your pet comes home.
Protecting the Incision After Surgery
This is a crucial step. Most incision-related complications occur when a pet is able to lick the surgical site, which is why veterinarians provide an Elizabethan-style collar or cone after an operation.
The ideal E-collar is the hard plastic cone often provided by your family veterinarian. Plain donut E-collars rarely keep the end of the tongue from contacting the incision. Your pet may be more comfortable with a donut that includes an E-collar extender. However, be sure the extender or cone exceeds the length of your pet’s nose. Search online for “Donut cone with extender.”
Surgical recovery suits and sleeves can help, especially when used in conjunction with an E-collar to keep the incision covered and prevent licking. Search online for “surgical recovery suit for dogs/cats.” However, pets left unattended while wearing only a recovery shirt or sleeve may lick the surgical area excessively, soaking the garment in saliva that sits on the incision all day. Leave pets in recovery clothing only when directly supervised. When unsupervised, add the E-collar or cone.
Diligent incision care, activity restriction and medication management are all essential components of successful pet surgery recovery.
Charlotte Animal Referral & Emergency (CARE) operates as the pet equivalent of a human medical center. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, CARE offers a wide range of treatments, including emergency care and board-certified specialty services available through a referral from your primary care veterinarian. Learn more about the practice at carecharlotte.com/tour.
