Recently a client came to pick up her puppy after the dog's laparoscopic spay. Both the client and her dog were so excited to be together again. As we were discussing post surgical care, it was clear that she was distracted. She had spent the day worrying about her baby, and she just wanted to take her home. It is common for people to be so eager to get their pet home after a surgical procedure, that they forget everything they talked about during the discharge. If your pet had a procedure here at Veterinary Associates of Cape Cod, we would send home printed instructions on post surgical care. If you misplace this sheet, or have any questions at all, feel free to give us a call at (508) 394-3566.
Here are some basic things to remember when caring for a pet after surgery (laparoscopic or otherwise):
- Check the incision daily for swelling, pain, odor, or discharge.
- Make sure your pet doesn't drink too much water when you get home. They can be fed their normal diet the same evening, but don't be alarmed if they don't want to eat right away. Call the hospital if your pet doesn't eat for 2 days in a row.
- If your pet starts to lick or chew at the incision, put an e-collar on them as soon as possible.
- Restrict activities like running, jumping (this includes jumping into the car), playing roughly with other animals, and climbing stairs for 7-10 days.
- No bathing or swimming for 10 days.
- If your pet's incision has internal sutures they will eventually dissolve on their own, but this could take several months. Don't worry if you can feel the sutures under the skin. If your pet received external sutures, you will need to come back to the hospital to have them removed in 2 weeks.
- Make sure to start any medications as directed by your veterinarian. These are prescribed to help speed up your pet's healing process.
- Call the hospital if you notice any of the following:
- Loss of appetite for more than 2 days
- Refusal to drink water for more than 1 day
- Weakness or depression
- Vomiting of diarrhea after the first 24 hours
