How to Care For Your Dog or Cat After Spaying
How do you care for your dog or cat after spaying as a pet owner? It is to prevent health issues and infections or because the animal has been diagnosed with cancerous cells. We can all agree that it’s important to properly care for our pets. This post will provide you with seven ideas to make the process easier for you and your pet!
How to Care After Spaying
Congratulations on deciding to get your pet spayed. Here are some guidelines when you are ready or have questions afterward about getting your pet spayed.
1. Take it easy.
Your pet doesn’t know what just happened. They will be scared and might not want to go out of the house they used to live in. You can confine them for a bit so they can calm down. If you have a cat, put the pet carrier down and let them come out on their own time. If you have a dog after spaying, just having you nearby may be enough for them to feel comfortable again.
2. Give water and supervise.
Some people do the surgery for their pet on a day they can stay home. This is a good idea if you can arrange it. Your pet will be tired and sleepy for the rest of the day. Make sure to give enough water to your puppy to prevent dehydration.
3. Give half the usual amount of food.
When your pet gets surgery, she might not eat for one night. It can take time to recover from the anesthesia. If your pet does want to eat, then give her small food.
4. Restrict your pet’s activity.
This one is tough because keeping a young and energetic puppy or kitten from jumping and running can be difficult. Keep your pet in the house and use your best voice to discourage them from doing those things.
5. Take caution with the stitch area.
When you get an animal spayed, the vet will put glue on the area to ensure it stays safe. The glue was designed to come off at a certain time, and it should not be pulled out before then. Also, if stitches were used, they should not be removed early. Keep the animal’s body dry, and don’t let them swim or bathe for 7 days after surgery.
6. Allow your pet to avoid licking the area.
Some pets lick their wounds. But this makes the wound worse. So you need to stop them from licking it. One way is to give them a cone so they can’t get close to it. Plastic cones are one option, but some pet parents have spent more money on other ways. Including surgical recovery suits or inflatable collars that stop your pet from licking their wounds.
7. Check in the incision area daily.
A general rule is that some seepage is normal for a couple of days. But if there are unusual smells or heavy bleeding, you should tell your vet right away. If you are not sure what to do, call your vet.
How Long to Keep a Cat Confined After Spay
If you have a cat, you can’t let it go with another male for 30 days. A neutered male will still get a female pregnant for about two weeks. If your cat is pregnant and then gets neutered, it could be dangerous or deadly.
If you usually let your cat outside for free-roaming, you need to hold off. Your cat can be exposed to bacteria, and it can get caught by its bandage or something. Then your cat will not be able to free itself.
If you can, get cat litter that does not produce dust. If your cat kicks up too much dust during litter box activity, it might get in the wound.
Restricting Activity After Spaying
All pet parents know that keeping your dog’s or cat’s activity level low for 7-14 days after surgery can be hard. Allow your pet to avoid licking the area. If they go under anesthesia again, there is a chance they might not recover well from the surgery.
How to Comfort Your Dog After Spaying
If your dog gets excited or agitated, it might open up its stitches. You can keep your dog comfortable by setting up a calm environment for them to live in while they recover from surgery. You might want to stay with your dog while he recovers from the surgery, or you could have a pet sitter watch them instead. These people had ideas that kept their dogs from getting too excited and opening up their stitches:
1. “We borrowed a bike stroller from my neighbor and put our dog in using her car seat belt. Our pet still saw and smelled things, which gave her an exciting time without having to do anything.”
2. “I used children’s underwear with a hole cut out for the tail and sanitary area because she figured out how to get around the cone to the incision.”
3. “I worked at home for a week after my dog was spayed.”
4. “My dog jumped and we had to get them spayed. The vet told us we needed to watch for any changes and call him if we saw anything.”
For more information on the advantages of spaying and neutering your pets, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions About 7 Tips for Care After Spaying Your Dog or Cat
Torbugesic and Rimadyl are two of the most frequently prescribed medications for dogs following surgery. Your vet will tell you what to do with these medicines. You should never give your dog human pain medications!
When you get your pet spayed or neutered, they might feel a little bit uncomfortable for a few days. But, after a week, the discomfort should be gone. If your pet is still feeling pain after about two days, contact their vet for advice.
Some dogs can tolerate pain more than others. When your dog is spayed, it might start whining. This is normal. Some dogs express the pain in other ways.
When your dog gets better, make sure they are in a quiet place. The room should be dim, and the temperature should be pleasant. And if you have children or other pets at home, keep them away from your dog.
After you have had surgery, the most important thing is to keep the e-collar on. This means no running or playing with your friends for fourteen days.
