Today we see the final stage of Callie’s spay journey. This is the recovery process and the time when Callie goes home to her human.
The post operative or recovery period starts from as soon as the anaesthetic agent is switched off. The operations nurse then hands over to the inpatient nurse.
Recovery Monitoring
The operations nurse monitors the patient continuously until extubation. This is the removal of the breathing tube and the point at which the patient is in control of their own airway once again. Observations are recorded until the patient is lifting their head. Parameters are monitored every fifteen minutes until they are all within normal limits; respiratory rate, heart rate, temperature etc.
During this time the inpatient nurse will provide LOTS of snuggles and emotional support. This keeps Callie as comfortable and settled as possible. Our kennels contain diffusers which provide calming pheromones; Adaptil and Feliway. The in-patient nurse will use spray versions (Pet Remedy) of these products on bedding to help keep patients calm.
Recovery Support
The in-patient nurse provides a small palatable meal for Callie once she was recovered enough. Some patients will eat after an anesthetic but others prefer to wait until they’re home. We would always let the owner know at discharge whether their pet has eaten with us or not.
The in-patient nurse also takes Callie for a gentle walk round the meadow. This is part of the follow-up pain score of which there are two done during the recovery period.
During the recovery time, a nurse calls Callie’s human to let her know how the procedure went. The nurse will also book a time for her Callie’s owner to come and collect her. This is usually later in the afternoon to provide enough time for Callie to recovery sufficiently.
Following surgery your pet will need to go home with either a lampshade cone or a pet-shirt. These stop your pet from licking or interfering with the wound. Licking and/or interfering with the wound can introduce infection and a delay in the wound healing so it’s VERY important.
As you can see, Callie went home with a pet shirt and is looking incredibly comfortable. Petshirts are a very popular option.
Post Operative Care
Callie will need short lead walks for ten days whilst the wound heals but we also like to have contact with the owners around day 3 to make sure the wound looks clean and that there are no signs of infection. All of the post operative information was shared with Callie’s human at the discharge appointment. However, the team are always available to discuss any concerns you may have relating to the wound and the procedure itself.
We hope this series of posts about a neutering procedure has been helpful. We do offer pre-neutering advice consultations FREE of charge so if you’d like to discuss neutering your pet, contact the client care team on PetsApp or call 01772 639800 OR 01253 766352.
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