Post-Operative Instructions

Post Operative Instructions for Owned Pets

1. No running, jumping, playing, swimming or other strenuous activity for 10-14 days. Animals must be kept indoors where they can stay clean, dry and warm. No baths during the recovery period. Dogs must be taken outside on a leash and cats kept indoors. Keep your animal calm.
2. Check the incision site twice daily. Redness, swelling and drainage should be minimal. Do not allow the animal to lick or chew at the incision. If this occurs, an elizabethan collar or e-collar (cone for around the head) MUST be put on immediately to prevent infection from occurring. Please note that sutures are dissolvable but can take upwards of a month to dissolve.
3. Your animal received medications that provide pain relief for 24 hours (Meloxicam). Do NOT give any additional medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen or Tylenol. These can seriously harm your pet.
4. Your pet’s appetite should return gradually within 24 hours of surgery. If it does not, please call Humane Ohio. Please call Humane Ohio if you notice lethargy lasting for more than 24 hours post-op, diarrhea or vomiting. Animals may have a slight cough for a few days after surgery.
5. Do not change your animal’s diet at this time. Do not give table scraps, milk or other human food during the recovery period unless directed by a Humane Ohio veterinarian. Doing so could mask post-surgical complications.
6. Your animal received a tattoo near the incision site or near its naval to show he/she has been fixed. This is a scoring process in the skin; IT IS NOT AN EXTRA INCISION.
7. If your animal received vaccinations, please check with your veterinarian about vaccination boosters.

Humane Ohio will treat at our clinic any post-op complications resulting directly from surgery (there may be a minimal cost depending on the situation). We cannot be held responsible for complications resulting from failure to follow post-op instructions, or for contagious diseases for which the animal was not previously properly vaccinated. If post-operative issues arise, please call Humane Ohio BEFORE calling other veterinary offices. A veterinary professional is available to you 24 hours a day at Humane Ohio’s emergency line, weekends and holidays included.

Male Dogs ONLY:     Scrotal Neuter Information and Discharge Notes

      Humane Ohio performs scrotal neuters on dogs, which means an incision is made on the scrotum and is intentionally left open to drain. This helps cut down on the accumulation of blood and fluid within the scrotum after surgery. The skin is pulled together with a single stitch, but a small amount of drainage is expected from the opening that remains on either side of this stitch. The drainage usually consists of a few drops of blood, so we recommend keeping male dogs confined to a space where cleanup is easy in the first day or two following surgery. Some dogs will tolerate wearing a pair of old boxer shorts to protect the incision and help absorb drainage. It is very important to restrict running, jumping, and other forms of physical activity in the days following surgery to prevent additional swelling and drainage.

      Occasionally we send dogs home with a scrotal wrap to control post-operative bleeding from the scrotal tissue. A scrotal wrap is a bandage consisting of absorbent gauze and vet wrap that is applied to the scrotum shortly after surgery. A wrap is most often needed in large-breed, adult dogs. If your dog leaves the clinic with a scrotal wrap, please take care to remove the wrap at the time instructed. Leaving the wrap on for too long could restrict blood flow and compromise healing.