🛏️ Vet’s 2025 Guide to Post-Operative Care for Dogs and Cats: Healing, Meds & Home Recovery Tips 🐾

By Dr Duncan Houston, BVSc

When your dog or cat comes home after surgery, their recovery depends not only on the procedure—but also on YOU. 🩺💖 Proper post-operative care is essential to reduce pain, avoid complications, and help your pet heal quickly and comfortably. 🐶🐱

This 2025 guide explains everything pet owners need to know about surgical aftercare: medications, rest, incision monitoring, feeding, and more. Let’s make sure your pet’s healing journey is smooth and stress-free. 🛏️

🧠 What to Expect After Surgery

• 💤 Grogginess from anesthesia
• 🟣 Minor bruising near the incision
• 💧 Slight seepage of clear fluid (within first 24 hours)
• 😴 More rest and reduced appetite for a day or two

Call your vet immediately if there’s:

• 🔴 Persistent bleeding
• 😷 Bad odor from the incision
• 🔥 Swelling, pus, or heat

💊 Medication Management

✔️ Do:

• 💊 Follow the dosing schedule exactly
• 🕓 Use a pill box or reminder app to avoid double doses
• 🧴 Refrigerate and shake liquid meds (if instructed)

❌ Don’t:

• 🚫 Double the dose if you miss one
• 🚫 Use human meds like Tylenol, aspirin, or Advil—these can be fatal!
• 🚫 Stop antibiotics early, even if your pet seems better

If your pet spits out a dose, wait until the next scheduled one. Never re-dose right away. 🧠

📲 Use the Ask A Vet app to set reminders and track your pet’s medication timeline! 🐾

🐾 Recognizing Pain in Pets

Unlike humans, pets rarely vocalize pain. Look for:

• 🐕 Restlessness or pacing (dogs)
• 🐈 Hiding or refusing food (cats)
• 😣 Whimpering, licking, or guarding the surgical site

🔒 Activity Restriction

Limiting movement is crucial for healing—especially after orthopedic, spine, or abdominal surgery. 🛑

Tips for Safe Rest:

• 🦮 Keep your dog on-leash, even indoors
• 🚪 Confine to a small room or crate
• 🔒 Block stairs and jumping zones
• 🧸 Use food puzzles or peanut butter KONGs (check with your vet)

Even if your pet “feels fine,” don’t let them resume normal activity until your vet clears it. Reinjury is common without proper restriction. 🐾

🔍 Incision Care

Check the incision twice a day. What’s normal:

• ✅ Mild swelling and bruising
• ✅ Slight puckering of the skin

What’s not normal:

• 🚨 Redness, heat, or odor
• 🚨 Pus or continuous drainage
• 🚨 Open stitches or excessive licking

🧽 If needed, gently clean with saline solution. Avoid soap or hydrogen peroxide. If in doubt, call your vet. 📞

🦴 Bandages, Splints & Casts

If your pet has a cast or bandage:

• 🧼 Keep it dry—wrap it in a plastic bag outside
• 👃 Smell daily—odor = infection
• 👀 Check digits for swelling or coldness
• 📏 Never adjust yourself—contact your vet

🍽️ Feeding & Elimination

It’s common for pets to eat less right after surgery. If no eating or drinking occurs within 24 hours, call your vet. 🐕🥣

Poop & Pee Tips:

• 🚫 No stool for 1–2 days = normal
• 💩 Diarrhea for 1–2 days = normal if mild
• 🚨 No bowel movement in 2+ days = vet call

🚿 Bathing & Grooming

Wait at least 10–14 days post-op (or until cleared by your vet) before bathing. Moisture can disrupt healing and loosen stitches. 🧼🚫

👑 E-Collars & Cones

They may look silly, but cones save stitches—and prevent expensive re-dos! 😄

• 🦺 Use if your pet licks the incision
• 🥣 Remove only for meals (under supervision)
• 🛡️ Ask your vet about soft or inflatable alternatives

🪢 Slings, Drains & Special Cases

🐕 Slings:

• Use towels to support dogs who struggle walking post-op
• Keep feet touching the ground to encourage normal movement

🧼 Drain Care:

• Clean the drain site as directed (usually 1–2x/day)
• Return for drain removal per your vet’s timeline

🧃 Feeding Tubes:

• Flush after meals to prevent clogging
• Keep the site clean and covered
• Watch for signs of leaking or irritation

🦷 Dental Surgery Tips

• 💧 Some blood-tinged saliva is normal
• 🐱 Cats may act strangely or hide—this is okay
• 🦴 Offer soft food for 14 days (soaked kibble or canned)

Call your vet if foul breath develops—it may indicate infection or dehiscence (sutures opening). 🦷📞

🔥 Abscess or Wound Surgery

Use warm compresses 2–3x/day for 5–10 minutes to encourage drainage. 💧 Use a warm, moist washcloth (not hot!) and monitor the site closely.

🏃 Physical Rehabilitation

Rehab may include passive range of motion, hydrotherapy, or laser therapy. Ask your vet or an animal rehab facility for guidance. 🐾🏋️‍♂️

📱 Ask A Vet Can Help

Worried about a suture? Unsure if bruising is normal? Download the Ask A Vet App for:

• 📷 Picture uploads to review incisions
• 📅 Custom care timelines and reminders
• 💬 24/7 virtual vet access

🎯 Final Thoughts

Post-operative care is just as important as surgery itself. When followed correctly, your pet’s recovery can be faster, less painful, and complication-free. 🐶💪

If you’re unsure about any step—call your vet or connect with AskAVet.com. We’re here to support you and your pet, from the first incision to the last stitch. 🐾🩺

Healing takes time. You’ve got this—and we’ve got you. 💖