5 Tips To Care For Your Dog After Castration
Castration is good for your dog's health and provides many benefits in general. Castrated pooches are often less aggressive and less likely to develop prostate diseases or behavioural problems. The procedure is routine with minimal risks. The following can ensure your dog recovers well.
1. Prepare a Resting Area
The anaesthesia will leave your dog groggy for several hours and possibly until the next day. It's important to provide them with a safe and comfortable place to rest and recover. Set up a comfortable dog bed or pile of pillows to provide a resting place. This area must be easy to get to, requiring no stairs or jumping to access. If you have other pets or small children, keep them away from your dog until he has begun to recover.
2. Minimise Rough Movements
Many pooches begin to feel better before their stitches have fully healed, which can lead to torn stitches and injuries. Limiting your dog's ability to run and jump until the stitches come out is a must. This may mean keeping them in a small area of the house instead of letting them roam free for a few days. Keeping them in an Elizabethan collar, also called a dog cone, can also minimise movements while also preventing licking of the incision site.
3. Control Exercise and Breaks
Your dog will benefit from some exercise once they are feeling better and eating normally again, but vigorous exercise can lead to injury. Keep the pooch on a leash every time you go out, even for toilet breaks. Maintain a slow pace on walks and don't wander far from home. Walks should be kept short and calm, so avoid other dogs and other stressors. Simply walking around the house a few times is often sufficient post-surgery.
4. Feed and Water Slowly
Anaesthesia can make a dog nauseous for a few hours to a full day after the procedure. Some minor vomiting is normal and not usually a cause for alarm. You can minimise nausea and prevent vomiting by introducing food and water slowly. Begin with a small amount and increase it as your dog begins to come around to acting like their old self. If they keep the first small feeding down, you can offer a bit more at the next feeding and so forth.
5. Monitor for Signs of Trouble
Although most dogs have no issues healing from a castration, there is still a small chance of complications such as infection of the wound site. Trouble signs include attempting to bite at the wound, lethargy, refusal to eat or drink, and swelling or discharge. It may also signify a complication if your pooch is feverish or seems to be in significant pain.
Contact a vet to learn more about dog castrations.
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