Dr. Stacy Lambrinos
Owner/ Veterinarian



Post-Operative Instructions



Your cat has undergone anesthesia and surgical Sterilization. Please follow these post operative instructions carefully for the safety and well being of your pet. He/She may still be groggy from the anesthesia at the time of pick up. Please keep cats indoors after surgery. This will enable them to recover in a monitored environment and prevent complications from exposure to outdoor temperature extremes





Food and Water

An upset stomach can occur from the use of anesthesia. We recommend restricting the amount of food your cat has access to during the first three hours at home after surgery. Offer small amounts of food and gradually increase the amounts over the next 24 hours. Water does not need to be withheld.


Activity:

Your cat may have normal activity after surgery. Its important to check the incision daily.


Pain Management:

Do not give Aspirin or Tylenol to cats for pain relief after their surgery. Tylenol is toxic to cats and aspirin can be dangerous after surgery. Your animal was given pain medication at the time of surgery and additional pain medication is not necessary.


Incision Care:

Check the incision at least twice daily until healed. A small amount of blood seepage, redness and swelling is normal immediately after surgery. Do not allow your animal to lick or chew at the incision. If the incision becomes dirty, gently clean the area with a cotton ball and water or hydrogen peroxide. Do not allow your pet to get wet for at least 7 days after surgery. This means no bathing or swimming or rainy weather exposure. If the surgery requires sutures, the sutures are dissolvable and do not require removal. Male cats do not require sutures. Some female cats will develop a hard firm swelling when the sutures are being absorbed by the body. This firm swelling will go down over time and is a normal reaction to the sutures being dissolved.