How To Treat Your Pet In The Days After It Has Been Spayed

Spaying your cat or dog is a critical step in ensuring they stay healthy. Not only does spaying prevent unwanted kittens and puppies from being born, but it also reduces the risks of certain cancers and bacterial infections. The days after a spay surgery are kind of tough for your pet. Once they recover from the anesthesia, they're stuck in a cone with you constantly stopping them from jumping and being petlike. You'll need to be careful during these days to ensure their stitches stay in good shape and the site doesn't become infected. 

Don't Pick Up Your Pet

You would think that holding your pet would not be a problem. However, when you pick up your cat or dog, the animal's body can get a bit limp. That inadvertently stretches the surgery site and increases the risk of breaking stitches. Don't lift your pet for a few days; the vet will tell you when you can start again.

Keep Pets Inside When Possible and Leashed Whenever Outside

Pets that can be kept inside all day and night should be. It doesn't matter if your cat loves the outdoors; if they get outside and dirt gets into the surgery wound, they could end up with a horrible infection. If you have a dog and need to walk them, you'll want to keep the dog on a short leash so that they don't stray far away and get into trouble.

Notify the Vet if Your Pet Keeps Trying to Stretch or Jump

Your pet may not feel like stretching the day after the surgery, but as you get farther out from the spay date, they may try more and more to jump and stretch, which is bad for the stitches. Even as the stitches truly start to heal, you want to keep your pet relatively calm. If you notice them trying to stretch or jump, call the vet; you may have to take them in to have the stitches checked. The vet will also help you set up ways to stop your pet from stretching and jumping for the next few days.

Speak to the Vet About Crating if Necessary

If your pet seems to be unusually active, speak with the vet about potential causes. It is possible that your pet is just healing well and wants to move around a lot; in that case, crating might be necessary. Your vet can give you advice.

The Cone Is Just as Important as the Stitches

You'll no doubt be keeping an eye on the surgery spot to ensure an infection doesn't start. But that's not the only spot you should monitor. Keep an eye on the part of your pet's neck where the cone is as that too can experience irritation. If your pet looks like it's being affected by the cone, ask the vet about inflatable or fabric cones that are softer.

Spaying your pet is one of the best things you can do for them. Now you need to keep them safe as they heal from the surgery. Before you know it, your pet will once again be running around and playing, and you can rest assured that you won't have to worry about kittens or puppies suddenly showing up.

Contact a local pet spay service to learn more.