Surgery Recovery

Your Veterinarian will give you a list of what to do/what NOT to do. The following tips are things that we have found helpful with the many many surgeries we have had to deal with for all our elderly and special needs pets.  

Fasting

The vet will usually give you instructions for fasting from midnight before the surgery. Remember to clarify if water is OK - sometimes it is, sometimes it is NOT or the water can be out till later in the night like 3am but then must also be taken up. If you have multiple animals like we do, this often means the surgery patient needed to be put in a spare bedroom for the night or everyone ends up without food and water.   

Transport the morning of surgery

For dogs, make sure they have on a harness so they can't collar slip as you walk them in and they become terrified and suddenly bolt. A nearby Veterinary clinic here had a dog get run over this way; it was awful. 

For cats, check all the little fasteners all the way around the carrier and that the handle is not loose. Once you get them in the carrier, be sure the door is well latched. Pull on it from the outside to make sure it can't pop open.

Cats can be hard to get into a carrier. Try backing them in. For one of my cats, I have to use a carrier that has a top entry versus the traditional side entry. For another, I have to drop a heavy blanket on top of him so he stops moving. Then I pick up the blanket with him in it and carry him into a small bathroom where I already have a carrier open and ready. The bathroom ensures I don't end up chasing him throughout the house culminating with him shoving himself between the headboard and the wall or the fireplace behind the gas logs.  

Post Surgery  

For dogs, have plenty of potty pads on hand. If they're feeling loopy from anesthesia they may not give you their usual signal they need to go out. Anesthesia can take longer to dissipate from some pet's systems like older pets. For our older dogs, it can be over 36 hours before they are back to normal. Always call your Veterinarian with any concerns.

For cats depending on the surgery, you may need a flat litter pan with a potty pad taped to the bottom so they don't have to balance on sliding litter - or a sliding potty pad! 

Have more than 1 cone. See our tips below on which type to choose.

Have a recovery room setup. Alex not only had to wear a cone, but be separated from the other animals for 2 weeks to ensure wrestling matches did not result in ripped stitches.

Have soft foods on hand like plain, boiled, boneless chicken breasts and cooked white rice with a little low sodium broth, in case their system is upset from the anesthesia.  

Make a medicine chart so you don't have to try to remember if you gave pain meds - or when you last gave them - as too much can be dangerous and even cause respiratory failure. Ask for liquids or gels to be compounded if your pet does not take pills well to ensure they get full dose.

It's important to have cones on hand so you're prepared in an emergency or for surgery recovery. The last thing you want is a pet chewing on stiches through the night until the pet supplies store opens!

Choosing the right cone is essential for your pets safety and comfort. It's also important to have more than one because they get dirty quickly and bacteria can build up on them. You want to have a clean one to put on while you disinfect or wash the dirty one. This helps prevent infection.

A note on onesies: These can be very effective and far more comfortable. As with the cones you'll need at least one more clean one handy as the one being worn will get wound or surgical drainage on it throughout the day. However, some animals will chew or tear through the onesie, sometimes in a matter of hours. I had a cat do this; it's not just dogs. So be sure to monitor your pet with the onesie  to ensure they are not dedicated to tearing through it like BooBoo cat was! 

There are cloth cones, inflatable cones/pillow/cloud cones, and the traditional plastic cones.

Cloth cones:

I like these because they are stiff enough to prevent them from injury, but soft enough to flex when they try to access a water or food bowl, or lay down to sleep. They also tend to have drawstrings to ensure a snug fit but not too tight that they are uncomfortable, or so loose then can slip out of it. Lastly, they are easy to throw in the washer and dryer for a quick clean. They even have ones now that have extenders, or have clear panels so they can see through it (like with the plastic cones).

Inflatable/Pillow/Cloud cones:

These have more of a donut shape than a cone shape. The idea is similar to the cloth ones - comfort and function. Because they are inflatable, it's possible they might slowly deflate and lose their shape - and ability to stop the cat or dog from accessing stiches! Ensure you close the inflation port securely, but remember to check it throughout the day. Also don't over inflate it or it will be so hard your pet will not be able to get comfortable when trying to lay down.

Plastic Cones: 

These are the traditional cones. Because they are plastic, they are clear which helps vision. They are also easy to very quickly clean with rubbing alcohol (don't use a strong bleach product that leaves a bleachy odor or the cat or dog will fight the collar to get away from the scent. The downside to these is both that they are extremely uncomfortable, making it hard for the pet to rest, and also that they aren't as customizable on the fit. There are pre-punched holes which may or may not line up with your pets neck size. I do have these in all sizes are spares for when the other types are in the wash.