Tips To Help Your Small Dog Recover After Surgery

Are you new to being a pet owner? Learn more about how to keep your pet calm and happy while at the veterinarian clinic.

Tips To Help Your Small Dog Recover After Surgery

24 May 2016
 Categories: , Blog


Following small animal surgery, your dog will need time to recover. Unfortunately, your dog might have other ideas about how to recover than what the vet recommended. Following the vet's instructions can be challenging, but it is possible. Here are some ways that you can follow the aftercare instructions and keep your pet happy. 

Setup Barriers in Your Home

After surgery, one of the instructions you might receive is to keep your dog confined away from other animals and people. If your dog is used to roaming your home and yard without any restrictions, confining it to one space can take some work. Fortunately, there is a way to do it and not impact your pet's emotional health. 

You can use a play pen for a small dog. Place the play pen over the dog upside down if it is able to jump out. With the play pen, the dog can be moved and comforted as needed. 

You can also place gates at the exits to the door. If you do opt for the gates, try to put your dog in a room that does not have slippery floors. Your dog could slip on the floors and suffer a re-injury. 

Spend Time With Your Pet

Since your pet is confined to one location, you and your family have to make an effort to ensure that it does not feel forgotten or lonely. Constant affection can be important in recovery. There are ways that you and your family can get in more time with your pet without making too many changes to your routines. 

One way is to encourage everyone to do activities they normally do in other areas of the home in the room where the pet is confined. For instance, encourage your kids to do their homework in the room with the dog. You can also read, shop online, and make calls in the same room. The dog still feels like it is involved in the family and is not being left alone. 

Everyone also needs to up the affection. Activities, such as stroking the dog or talking to it, can give the dog the love it needs. If the vet instructed that the dog should not be picked up due to a risk of falling, be sure the entire family knows. 

Your vet can provide you and your family with other ways that you can help your dog recover from its surgery. Once your dog has recovered, your family can return to its normal routine with the pet.