| Post Op Instructions |
What should I expect after I get my pet home?Please note these important advisories! Your pet just had major surgery, which required general anesthesia. Female dogs and cats have a mid-line incision in their abdomen. Male dogs have an incision just above the scrotum and male cats have two incisions, one in each side of the scrotum. Check the incision site at least twice daily. There should be no drainage. Redness and swelling should be minimal. Male cats may appear as if they still have testicles. This is normal. The swelling will gradually decrease during the next few days.DO NOT ALLOW YOUR PET TO LICK OR CHEW AT THE INCISION. If this occurs, you must purchase an E-collar to prevent the pet from reaching the incision. UCAN is not responsible for complications resulting from licking or chewing! If your female dog or cat was in heat at the time of surgery, you must keep them away from un-neutered males for at least two weeks. While they are unable to become pregnant, they will still attract males for a short period of time. If a male attempts to breed with the female, it can cause serious, possibly life-threatening, damage to the just-spayed animal. Unless you are told otherwise, your pet does not have external sutures. All sutures are absorbable on the inside and the very outer layer of skin is held together with surgical glue. Do not clean or apply topical ointment to the incision site. This can cause the incision to open. If you are told that your pet has skin sutures or skin staples, you will need to return in 7-10 days to have those removed. Male cats do not have any sutures. Some animals are active after surgery, while others are quiet. It is very important that you limit your pet's activity for at least 7-10 days. No running, jumping, playing, swimming, or other strenuous activity during this time. Pets must stay clean and dry. Do not bathe your pet during the recovery period or allow the incision to get wet. Dogs must be walked on a leash and cats must be kept inside. You can expect your pet’s appetite to return gradually within 24 hours of surgery. Lack of appetite or lethargy lasting for more than 24 hours after surgery, diarrhea, and vomiting are not normal and you should contact us immediately. Do not change your pet's diet at this time and do not give junk food, table scraps, milk or any other people food for a period of one week. This could mask post-surgical complications. DO NOT give your pet aspirin, Tylenol, Advil or any other human pain medication! Please contact us immediately if you notice any of the following: • pale or white gums • depression • vomiting • diarrhea • discharge or bleeding from the incision • difficulty urinating • labored breathing • Redness and swelling should resolve within several days. If they persist longer, please contact us. Questions or concerns? If you have a non-emergency question or concern or would like to have your pet re-checked by one of our veterinarians, please call 721-7387 during regular business hours (Monday thru Friday 9 am to 4 pm). If the phone is not answered, leave a message in the Medical Question Mailbox. Make sure that you clearly state your name, your pet's name and a phone number where you can be reached so that we can return your call. Your call will be returned during regular business hours. Emergencies
If your pet has had surgery at UCAN and you have an emergency related to your pet's surgery,
you may call the emergency phone line at 787-8746 between 7 am and 8 pm Monday thru Friday, and 7 am to 4 pm on Saturday. This phone line is reserved for emergencies ONLY relating to the services your pet received at the UCAN Clinic and for no other reason. If you get the voicemail recording, leave a message with your name, your pet's name and the phone number where you can be reached. A staff member will return your call as soon as possible. If your pet has had spay/neuter services and requires emergency care at a time that does not fall within
UCAN’s emergency phone hours or its regular clinic hours, please call or visit your regular veterinarian. There are several 24-hour emergency clinics in Cincinnati: CARE Center (530-0911) and Emergency Veterinary Clinic of Cincinnati (561-0069). If you need to take your pet to an emergency clinic or to your veterinarian, you are responsible for paying the cost of this visit. UCAN’s staff will review the treatment record and discuss it with the attending veterinarian to determine if the issue was surgery-related. If it is determined that the emergency was indeed related to service(s) provided by UCAN, we will reimburse you for the cost of the follow-up care. UCAN's veterinarians make the final decision on what will be covered. All pet owners are required to follow the after surgery care instructions that are provided at the time of pickup. UCAN will not be responsible for veterinarian visits or emergency care if these directions are not strictly followed. |