Helping your Dog Recover Post Surgery: Tips for Proper Care

If your dog has recently been subjected to surgery, whether extensive or a minor one, the post-surgery phase is an important one, for both dogs and their owners. Most vets usually lay out a detailed care plan for dogs post-surgery to help them recover faster. However, as a dog owner, it is your responsibility to look after them properly post-surgery.

It is important to pay attention to details for effective care, along with a host of other aspects such as:

• Protection of Affected Area: The first thing to look after is protection of the affected area. While the vet doctor might have gotten it wrapped up really well, it is the responsibility of the owner to make sure the dog doesn’t lick or bite the area, and to make sure the dog doesn’t tear up the bandages or get them wet and muddy. 
• Proper Rest: Rest is important for dogs who recently had surgery. This helps limit their activity and body movements which help the wound to recover faster, as compared to an active dog that keeps running and jumping around the house. Confinement works effectively for hyperactive dogs who just can’t stay still in one place. It is recommended to use a free room for dogs. The confinement should be spacious enough not to make them feel suffocated.
• Keeping the Vet’s Phone Number Handy: Unforeseen emergencies can often crop up no matter how attentive or careful you are. In such cases, getting caught in the middle of a situation without anyone to call can be a real issue. Therefore, it is important to keep your vet’s phone number handy for emergencies like that. You can also call them to ask for advice or for medications. 

Once your dog is fully healed, they should be slowly introduced back to their regular schedule like before. There are two phases of dog surgery recovery to look after: first, when the bandages come off, and second is when the wound is fully healed. Taking proper care and feeding them in a timely manner is important for their fast recovery.