- Proper Restraint: Please protect your pet and others when leaving the hospital by either placing them in a pet carrier or use a leash. Please handle your pet gently, and do not allow your pet to become overly excited, which may result in injury.
- Food & Water: After your pet has returned home, wait an hour or two before offering small portions of his normal food and water. Do not be alarmed if vomiting occurs; occasionally anesthesia will cause this. Normal feeding should resume the following day.
- Eliminations: It is normal for a pet not to have a bowel movement for 24-36 hours after surgery.
- Exercise & Activity: Due to the effects of anesthesia, your dog may be groggy for up to 12 hours and should have limited exercise. Please leash walk your pet for 1-2 days to prevent excessive swelling and avoid any situations that might lead to injury.
- Sutures: Your dog’s sutures are absorbable and do not need to be removed.
- Behavior: Neutering stops testosterone production in the body. Testosterone may be responsible for behavior problems, such as spraying or aggression. Behavior modifications can take up to 4-6 weeks to occur.
- Monitor: A decrease in activity for one day may be observed. If your pet exhibits any of the following symptoms, please notify the hospital:
– Loss of appetite and/or thirst for over 1 day
– Extreme weakness or depression
– Excessive vomiting or diarrhea.
– Infection of the surgical site
(redness, pain, severe swelling, pus or drainage or disturbance of the suture line).