Post Desexing Operation Tips for a Quick and Healthy Recovery.
Desexing your pet is essential for a variety of reasons – it's an important part of pet ownership, it’s the only way to prevent unwanted litters, it helps to keep your four legged friend free from cancers and other illnesses that target the reproductive system, and it can help to regulate behavioural problems. Ultimately, dog desexing or cat desexing is one of the best decisions that you can make for your furry friend.
It’s important to note, however, that this is an extensive medical procedure and there will be some recovery involved. In this blog, we’ve outlined some of the ways that you can care for your pet after they’ve been desexed to ensure that they recover without issue.
This is not the sort of procedure that requires your pet to be confined to a cage afterwards – they just need to be provided a space where they can comfortably rest. Ensure that there is also a bowl of water within reach.
The most important part of this initial recovery period (until their stitches are removed) is to ensure that your pet doesn’t lick at their wound or engage in any strenuous activity. This level of recovery should be followed for 10 days after the surgery, or as recommended by your vet.
As licking is the leading cause of infection after surgery, investing in a head collar is the best way to prevent spending more time than necessary at the vet. Your pet might hate it, but it definitely beats an infection and any other risks to their health.
Whilst your pet may not want to eat after returning home from the clinic, their appetite should have returned by the next morning. If they’re still not interested in their usual food, you could try giving them a bland meal of cooked chicken breast and white rice. Don’t use any salt in your cooking and do not give them any fatty foods.
If their appetite hasn’t returned by the second day, bring them back in for a follow up.
If your pet is not healing correctly, their behaviour will be one of the first indications. Look out for signs of lethargy, pale gums or difficulty getting up (especially at night). An animal that is moving around but hunches over or seems to have other abdominal discomfort is also cause for concern.
Keep an eye on the wound for any sudden swelling, discharge or pus. Another sign that something is amiss is if, after three days, your pet seems to be in pain when you touch the wound.
If you notice any of these symptoms in your pet following their desexing procedure, we highly recommend contacting your vet and taking them in for an examination.