After Surgery Care Instructions

Your pet will not require suture removal. The sutures will dissolve on their own over time. Male dogs and cats can still impregnate an unsterilized female up to one month after surgery. Keep female cats and dogs away from males for a minimum of 7 days. Please keep a close eye on your pet.

Offer smaller amounts of the food they eat regularly and water later this evening. Appetite should return gradually within 24 hours of surgery. Do not be concerned if your pet does not want to eat right away, your pet may feel nauseous, and it can take up to 48 hours for their appetite to return to normal. Remove food until morning if vomiting occurs but still offer normal amounts of water.

• Allow your pet to recover in a clean, quiet, safe place indoors. Avoid running, jumping, and excessive playing for at least 10 days.
• Encourage frequent movement indoors to help your pet recover from the anesthesia. Though we want them to rest, sleeping too often could result in a longer recovery time as well as potential complications.
• Do not wash or clean the incision. Keep the incision dry. No bathing, swimming, or playing in deep snow.
  • A small amount of blood is normal immediately after surgery.
  • Some redness and swelling of the incision is expected and normal.
• Do not allow your pet to lick, scratch, or chew the incision. If this occurs, an Elizabethan collar (E-collar aka “Cone”), or an alternative option like the onesie photographed, MUST be used to help prevent potentially serious complications.

Do not give human medication like aspirin or Tylenol to your pet for pain relief.  These medications along with others can be deadly.

Minimal redness & swelling of the surgery site should resolve within several days, but if they persist longer, please send us a photo to 270-551-5045. You should contact a full service vet or an emergency clinic immediately if you notice any of the following: pale gums; depression; unsteady gait; loss of appetite or decreased water intake; vomiting; diarrhea; discharge or bleeding from the incision; difficulty urinating or defecating; labored breathing. If you seek medical care, please note that Fix Grayson County KY is not financially responsible for your bills.

We will make every reasonable effort to treat at OUR CLINIC, at minimal cost, any postoperative complications resulting directly from the surgery, as long as the above postoperative instructions are followed in full. Your regular veterinarian must address illnesses or injuries that are not a direct result of surgery.