Post-Surgery Instructions

Medication Information

Please click on each link for information about the medication.

Before your cat's surgery she first received a general anesthetic to induce sleep and a combination of long-lasting analgesics to preemptively prevent any pain. Incisions were made through the skin and abdominal wall (into the abdominal cavity) and the three points where the ovaries and uterus attach were tied off and cut. Both ovaries and the uterus were removed. The procedure is called an ovario-hysterectomy. Because of the seriousness of the operation, your cat requires and deserves proper care and observation for the next several days.

When you bring your cat home today, she will be feeling the effects of the anesthetic. Her eyes will have a protective ointment on them, and she may not be able to see well. She will be easily startled and may become frightened by sounds and movement. It is important this first day that you confine her and disturb her as little as possible. This is equivalent to the strict bed rest you would get in the hospital if you had received abdominal surgery. Keep her away from all other animals and children. She should return to her normal self in a few days.
Keep your cat safe on the ride home. Make sure your cat is safely confined. Animals recovering from surgery may be more susceptible to problems associated with both warm and cold weather. Brachycephalic dogs and cats, whose noses are smaller than normal, are particularly prone to problems associated with heat. It is important that all pets remain comfortable on the way home, especially during periods of warm or cool weather.
Do not feed your cat until the effects of anesthesia have passed and she has fully regained her coordination. How quickly this happens depends on each individual cat. Many can eat the first night after surgery. Some even awaken fast enough to have had a small snack here at the clinic before going home. When she is ready to eat, give her a small amount initially and then space out the rest of the meal over the remainder of the day. Some cats feel nauseated the first few days, so don't be alarmed if she does not want to eat immediately. If your cat is not eating by the third day after surgery, please let us know.
Your cat will need to be confined indoors for at least seven days following surgery and kept as quiet as possible. Do not let your cat outside at any time when wearing a cone or E-collar as this can be dangerous and get caught on things they encounter. Too much activity too soon will disrupt the healing process and can lead to swelling and/or the formation of a fluid pocket under the incision (seroma). If a fluid pocket does form it should go away on its own in a few weeks.
Observe the incision daily. A small amount of redness and firm swelling is normal and usually resolves in a few weeks. Cats often react this way to internal sutures. Any drainage or bleeding or excessively large swelling is not normal and should be reported to the clinic.
Do not let your cat lick her incision excessively. E-collars may be purchased if needed to prevent self-trauma from chewing/licking at the site.
Avoid getting the incision wet. This means no baths (your cat will love us for forbidding baths!) until the skin has healed completely in about 14 days.
If your cat was pregnant at the time of surgery it may take her longer to recuperate. She may be slightly anemic and run down. To help her recover as quickly as possible, allow her access to plenty of fresh, clean drinking water and quality cat food.
Your cat does not require suture removal. These are buried beneath the skin and may take several weeks to several months to fully absorb. During this time, you may feel or see them under the skin depending on how much body fat your cat has.
Keep your cat's surgery report. It is verification that she has been spayed. It also indicates whether your cat was vaccinated and for what. If a rabies vaccination was given, the report contains your Certificate of Rabies Vaccination. This document may be required for travel. Check the Rabies Certificate to see when the next rabies vaccination is due. Check with your regular veterinarian to determine when to booster your cat's FvRCP and if other vaccinations are recommended.
If a problem should develop, contact us immediately. If the clinic is closed, contact your private veterinarian or an emergency veterinary clinic.

We anticipate that your cat will have a normal, uneventful recovery. If you have any questions regarding her progress, please call us at 206-386-4260.

Before your cat was neutered he first received a general anesthetic to induce sleep and a combination of long-lasting analgesics to preemptively prevent any pain. Two small incisions were made through the scrotum and the testicles were removed. The blood vessels supplying the testicles were then tied off to prevent excessive bleeding. While this is a relatively simple surgical procedure, your cat requires and deserves proper care and observation for the next several days.

When you bring your cat home today he will be feeling the effects of the anesthetic. His eyes will have a protective ointment on them, and he may not be able to see well. He will be easily startled and may become frightened by sounds and movement. It is important this first day that you confine him and disturb him as little as possible. This is equivalent to the strict bed rest you would get in the hospital following surgery. Keep him away from all other animals and children. He should return to his normal self in a few days.
Keep your cat safe on the ride home. Make sure your cat is safely confined. Animals recovering from surgery may be more susceptible to problems associated with both warm and cold weather. Brachycephalic dogs and cats, whose noses are smaller than normal, are particularly prone to problems associated with heat. It is important that all pets remain comfortable on the way home, especially during periods of warm or cool weather.
Do not feed your cat until the effects of anesthesia have passed and he has fully regained his coordination. How quickly this happens depends on each individual cat. Many can eat the first night after surgery. Some even awaken fast enough to have had a small snack here at the clinic before going home. When he is ready to eat, give him a small amount initially and then space out the rest of the meal over the remainder of the day. Some cats feel nauseated the first few days, so don't be alarmed if he does not want to eat immediately. If your cat is not eating by the third day after surgery, please let us know about it.
Your cat will need to be confined indoors for at least seven days following surgery and kept quiet. Too much activity too soon will disrupt the healing process. Do not let your cat outside at any time when wearing a cone/E-collar as this can be dangerous and get caught on things they encounter.
Observe the incision daily. A small amount of redness and firm swelling is normal and usually resolves in a few weeks. Any drainage or bleeding or excessively large swelling is not normal and should be reported to the clinic.
Do not let your cat lick his incision excessively. E-collars may be purchased if needed to prevent self-trauma from chewing/licking at the site.
Avoid getting the incision wet until the skin has healed completely, about 14 days. This means no baths. Your cat will love us for forbidding baths!
There is no need for suture removal. Male cats typically do not require sutures.
Keep your cat's surgery report. It is verification that he has been neutered. It also indicates whether your cat was vaccinated and for what. If a rabies vaccination was given the report contains your Certificate of Rabies Vaccination. This document may be required for travel. Check the rabies certificate to see when the next rabies vaccination is due. Check with your regular veterinarian to seen when to booster your cat's FvRCP or if other vaccinations are recommended.
If a problem should develop, contact us immediately. If the clinic is closed, contact your private veterinarian or an emergency veterinary clinic.

We anticipate that your cat will have a normal, uneventful recovery. If you have any questions regarding his progress, please call us at 206-386-4260.

Before your dog was spayed she first received a combination of long-lasting analgesics to preemptively prevent any pain. She then received a general anesthetic to induce sleep. An incision was made through the skin and abdominal wall, into the abdominal cavity, and the three points where the ovaries and uterus attach were tied off and cut. Both ovaries, the fallopian tubes and the uterus were removed. The procedure is called an ovario-hysterectomy. Because of the seriousness of the operation, your dog requires and deserves proper care and observation for the next several days.

When you bring your dog home on the day of surgery, she will be feeling the effects of the anesthetic. Keep her away from all other animals and children when you first bring her home. She may feel a little wobbly and not be in complete possession of her senses. It is important this first day that you confine her indoors and disturb her as little as possible. This is equivalent to the strict bed rest you would get in the hospital if you had received abdominal surgery. She should return to her normal self in a few days.
Your dog has been given one of the most effective combinations of analgesics for this type of surgery. We have sent home three additional days of anti-inflammatory pain relievers to help her remain comfortable throughout her recovery. These are to be started the day following surgery. Follow the instructions on the prescription label. Dogs are individuals, and there are some dogs that are more sensitive to pain. Please let us know if you feel your dog needs additional pain relievers following surgery. These are available to purchase.
Keep your dog safe on the ride home. Make sure your dog is safely confined. Animals recovering from surgery may be more susceptible to problems associated with both warm and cold weather. Brachycephalic dogs and cats, whose nose is smaller than normal, are particularly prone to problems associated with heat. It is important that all pets remain comfortable on the way home, especially during periods of warm or cool weather.
Do not feed your dog until the effects of anesthesia have passed and she has fully regained her coordination. How quickly this happens depends on each individual dog. Many can eat the first night after surgery. Some even awaken fast enough to have had a small snack here at the clinic before going home. When she is ready to eat, give her a small amount initially and then space out the rest of the meal over the remainder of the day. Some dogs feel nauseated the first few days so don't be alarmed if she does not want to eat immediately. If your dog is not eating by the third day after surgery, please let us know about it. Fresh, clean water should always be available.
Keep her as quiet as possible for one week. Too much activity too soon will disrupt the healing process and can lead to swelling and/or the formation of a fluid pocket under the incision. If a fluid pocket does form (seroma), it should go away on its own in a few weeks. Short on-leash walks are okay. Running or off-leash yard play should not be allowed.
Observe the incision daily. A small amount of redness and swelling is normal. Any drainage or discharge or excessively large swelling is not normal and should be reported to the clinic.
She may have a slight cough for a few days. We put a breathing tube in her trachea to give her oxygen and gas anesthesia. Sometimes this tube causes a little irritation resulting in a cough.
Do not let your dog lick her incision. She could open the incision or cause an infection by doing so. If your dog insists on licking her incision, it may be necessary to place a collar (often called an "Elizabethan" collar) on her to prevent her from doing so. These collars are available from our clinic, other veterinary clinics and pet stores as well in several different styles.
Avoid getting the incision wet until the skin has healed completely, about 14 days. This means no baths. Your dog will love us for forbidding baths! This also means no swimming or wading in belly deep water or playing in the rain/park fields for long periods of time.
Your dog does not require removal of any sutures. These are buried beneath the skin. You may feel or see the sutures just underneath the skin for several weeks to months as they resorb over time.
If your dog was in heat at the time of surgery, she should be kept away from male dogs for the next eight to 10 days. She will retain the odor that attracts male dogs, and she may still be receptive to them. If a male dog mounts her, there is a risk that this may rupture her internal sutures and cause them to begin to bleed. If she was in heat or near the beginning of her estrus cycle at the time of surgery, you may see some small amount of blood tinged vaginal discharge for a few days after surgery.
If your dog was pregnant at the time of surgery, it may take her longer to recuperate. She will probably be slightly anemic and a little run down. To help her recover as quickly as possible allow her access to plenty of fresh, clean drinking water and a high-quality dog food for the next few weeks.
Keep your dog's surgery report. It is verification that she has been spayed. It also indicates whether your dog was vaccinated and for what. If a rabies vaccination was given the report contains your Certificate of Rabies Vaccination. This document may be required for travel with your dog. Check the rabies certificate to see when the next rabies vaccination is due. Check with your regular veterinarian to see when additional boosters of other vaccines are recommended.
If a problem should develop contact us immediately. If the clinic is closed, contact your private veterinarian or an emergency veterinary clinic.

We anticipate your dog will have a normal, uneventful recovery. If you have any questions regarding her progress, please call us at 206-386-4260.

Before your dog was neutered he first received a combination of long-lasting analgesics to preemptively prevent any pain. He then received a general anesthetic to induce sleep. An incision was made just over the scrotum and the testicles were removed. The blood vessels supplying the testicles and other tissues were then tied off to prevent excessive bleeding. While this is a relatively simple surgical procedure, your dog requires and deserves proper care and observation for the next several days.

When you bring your dog home on the day of surgery, he will be feeling the effects of the anesthetic. Keep him away from all other animals and children when you first bring him home. He may feel a little wobbly and not be in complete possession of his senses. It is important this first day that you confine him indoors and disturb him as little as possible. This is equivalent to the strict bed rest you would get in the hospital if you had had surgery. He should return to his normal self in a few days.
Keep your pet safe on the ride home. Animals recovering from surgery may be more susceptible to problems associated with both warm and cold weather. Brachycephalic dogs and cats (those whoses noses are smaller than normal) are particularly prone to problems associated with heat. It is important that all pets remain comfortably cool on the way home during our (brief) periods of warm weather. Low outside temperature can also cause problems, particularly in very young, very old and very small animals. Make sure your pet stays comfortably warm on the way home during our (frequent) periods of cold and/or wet weather.
Make sure your pet is safely confined on its trip home.
Your dog has been given one of the most effective combinations of analgesics for this type of surgery. We have sent home three additional days of anti-inflammatory pain relievers to help him remain comfortable throughout his recovery. These are to be started the day following surgery. Follow the instructions on the prescription label. Dogs are individuals, and there are some dogs that are more sensitive to pain. Please let us know if you feel your dog needs additional pain relievers following surgery. These are available for purchase.
Do not feed your dog until the effects of anesthesia have passed and he has fully regained his coordination. How quickly this happens depends on each individual dog. Many are able to eat the first night after surgery. Some even awaken fast enough to have had a small snack here at the clinic before going home. When he is ready to eat, give him a small amount initially and then space out the rest of the meal over the remainder of the day. Some dogs feel nauseated the first few days so don't be alarmed if he does not want to eat immediately. If your dog is not eating by the third day after surgery, please let us know about it. Fresh, clean water should always be available.
Keep him as quiet as possible for one week. Too much activity too soon will disrupt the healing process and may result in a painfully swollen scrotum or fluid build-up (seroma). Short on-leash walks are okay. Running or off-leash yard play should not be allowed.
Observe the incision daily. A small amount of redness and swelling is normal. Any drainage or discharge or excessively large swelling is not normal and should be reported to the clinic.
He may have a slight cough for a few days. We put a breathing tube in his trachea to give him oxygen and gas anesthesia. Sometimes this tube causes a little irritation resulting in a cough.
Do not let your dog lick his incision. Many male dogs tend to lick their scrotum after the surgery. This should be prevented. Licking can irritate the skin, delay healing and lead to a secondary infection. Consider offering a new dog chew toy as a distraction. If your dog insists on licking his incision it may be necessary to place a collar (often called an "Elizabethan" collar) on him to prevent him from doing so. These collars are available from our clinic, other veterinary clinics and pet stores as well in several different styles.
Avoid getting the incision wet until the skin has healed completely, about 14 days. This means no baths. Your dog will love us for forbidding baths! This also means no swimming or wading in belly deep water until then or playing in the rain/park fields for long periods of time.
Your dog does not require removal of any sutures. These are buried beneath the skin.
Keep your dog's surgery report. It is verification that he has been neutered. It also indicates whether your dog was vaccinated and for what. If a rabies vaccination was given, the report contains your Certificate of Rabies Vaccination. This document may be required for travel with your dog across state and national borders. Check the rabies certificate to see when the next rabies vaccination is due. Check with your regular veterinarian to see when additional boosters of other vaccines are recommended.
If a problem develops, contact us immediately. If the clinic is closed, contact your private veterinarian or an emergency veterinary clinic.

We anticipate that your dog will have a normal, uneventful recovery. If you have any questions regarding his progress, please call us at 206-386-4260.

Post-Surgery Instructions