Please follow these instructions to reduce the risk of complications after an operation.
If your pet was anaesthetised there may well be a small area of hair clipped from the forelimb which allowed access to a vein for the administration of the anaesthetic. The hair will grow back in 6-8 weeks.
Your pet may also have had a tracheal tube passed whilst asleep to allow the anaesthetic gases to be given. On occasions this can cause a slight cough on recovery.
Your pet may still be drowsy and not fully co-ordinated. This can last between 12 -24 hours after the anaesthetic and if so your pet should not be allowed outside unsupervised.
After anaesthesia some animals can struggle to regulate their own body temperature so please ensure the pet is kept in a warm, quiet, draft free environment for the recovery period.
Feeding
Water can be given as soon as the pet is home. However allow the pet to settle after the journey home before offering food.
Anaesthesia can occasionally cause nausea, therefore it is advisable during recovery to offer small meals of easily digestible “light” food e.g. chicken, white fish, rice, scrambled egg.
Exercise
After surgery there are many layers of tissue that can be involved in healing. The skin can heal in 7-14 days, however muscle layers can take longer therefore exercise should be controlled (ie keep dogs on a lead) and kept to a minimum until the sutures are removed. Dogs should not be allowed to jump up, pull on the lead or “play rough” during recovery.
Medication
Should be given as instructed and the full course completed.
Wounds
The area surrounding the wound can be painful, therefore avoid handling around the area unless instructed to do so. Some surgical wounds have external sutures that need to be removed once healing is complete. Some sutures are hidden under the skin and are dissolvable.
TO PREVENT YOUR PET CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE WOUND OR REMOVING THEIR SUTURES WE ADVISE YOU USE A BUSTER COLLAR. THESE CAN BE PURCHASED AT COLLECTION, PLEASE ASK IF YOU WISH TO TAKE ONE.
If you have any concerns please call us on 0114 2683239