You must restrict your pet’s activity for the next ten days to allow the tissue time to heal and to avoid causing the incision to open. Cats should stay indoors. Dogs should go out on a leash to urinate/defecate and then return inside to rest. Keep the incision site dry; do not bathe or apply topical ointment during the recovery period.
Keep males away from unspayed females for 30 days. Keep females away from unneutered males for 7 days. Be prepared to keep pets separate during the recovery period.
Check the incision site twice daily. Females should have no drainage, while redness and swelling should be minimal.
The incision for male dogs is directly on the scrotum and is left open to allow for drainage. Small amounts of drainage/discharge is normal for up to three days. Too much activity causes increased drainage, so activity restriction is very important.
Do not allow the pet to lick or chew at the incision. If this occurs, an Elizabethan collar (cone) MUST be applied to prevent additional licking/chewing that could cause infection. Cats tend to leave their incision site alone and struggle more with cones. We can provide a cone on request, but you may also try a surgical suit, a sock with holes cut in it, or a paper plate with an X cut in the middle for a head opening.
Appetite should return gradually within 24 hours of surgery. Do not change your pet’s diet at this time and do not give them junk food, table scraps, milk, or any other people food during the recovery period. Feeding them their regular diet will help avoid gastro-intestinal upset.
Minimal redness & swelling of the surgery site should resolve within several days, but if they persist longer, please call our emergency phone at 207-200-4088. You should also contact us 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, or labored breathing. If you are unable to reach us immediately, please contact your nearest emergency clinic.
Do not give human medication to pet. It is dangerous & can be fatal.
If your pet received a vaccine other than rabies, please schedule a “booster” vaccine with us. Canine distemper/parvo vaccine & feline distemper vaccine all need to be “boostered” three to four weeks after administration of the first vaccine for maximum effectiveness.
We will make every reasonable effort to treat your pet at Maine Animal Health Alliance, at minimal cost, for any post-operative complications resulting directly from the surgery, if the above post-operative instructions are followed in full. Your regular veterinarian must address illnesses or injuries that are not a direct result of surgery.
FOR GI UPSET:
Some animals get an upset stomach after anesthesia. If your pet develops diarrhea, vomiting, or inappetence, please try the following steps. If these steps don’t help then please let us know!
Pepcid/famotidine: This antacid comes in 20mg tablets or a liquid form of 20mg/ml. It can be given to your pet once or twice daily.
(1ml is the same as 1cc)
BLAND DIET
You can purchase or make a bland, low fat, easily digestible diet for your pet to feed them for a few days if they are vomiting or have diarrhea. Start with small frequent meals (1 tablespoon), then gradually add in their food over a few days once symptoms have resolved.
Examples of a bland diet:
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