What To Do Before and After Your Pet Is Spayed or Neutered

Neutering or spaying your pet is among the best ways you can care for them. If you are a first-time pet owner, you may have lots of questions concerning the procedures. It is only natural to worry about the safety, health risks, and cost of spaying or neutering your pet.

In addition, if you decide on taking your pets for the procedure, you need to be well prepared with knowledge of what to do before and after the procedure. Here are a few tips that might help.

Before the Neutering or Spaying Surgery

You must prepare to help your pet recover safely and quickly in the days before their surgery. Some of the preparation include:

Pet-Proof Your House – Ensure you restrict your pet’s movements to certain areas after surgery. For instance, you may use gates to prevent them from using the stairs
Crate Train Them – Although this is an activity done post-surgery, it is wise to introduce them before the surgery. It will make it easier for them to get used to staying in the crate after the surgery
No Dietary Nourishment – The night before the surgery, you should withhold all food and water from your pets. This helps to prevent aspiration and vomiting
Calm Yourself – Your pet feeds off your emotions and can sense if you are nervous. Try to keep calm and be reassuring. This makes your pet more comfortable

After the Neutering and Spaying Surgery

It is common for pets to spend the night in hospital after undergoing neutering or spaying for observation. Due to the anesthetics used during the surgery, your pet might get drowsy or try to hide. In such cases, a crate can be helpful.

Although some pet owners may think of it as cruel treatment of their pet, it is not. It is the safest spot they can be in after the surgery. However, it is advisable to discuss any post-surgery care with your pet doctor. Here are some post-surgery care precautions as recommended by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA):

Keep your pets indoors and limit their activity for at least 10 days. This ensures the incisions heal properly without the risk of opening up. Provide a quiet place for recovery that keeps your pet away from other animals
Ensure your pet does not lick the incision. This may result in an infection or more complications. If you have the time, you can distract them with treats, use an Elizabethan collar, or cone (commonly referred to as the cone of shame)
Ensure your pet does not jump or run around for at least two weeks after the procedure. However, your veterinarian might recommend otherwise
Do not bathe your pets for at least 10 days following the spaying or neutering. Making the incision wet can cause it to open up by dissolving the sealing glue. It might also lead to infections
Do a daily check on the incision to confirm it is healing properly. If there are abnormal signs such as excessive swelling, discharge, or redness, you should visit your veterinarian

To learn more about spaying and neutering, visit Vet Express at our office in Port of Spain, Trinidad. You can also call (868) 221-2257 to book an appointment today.