Brevard Spay-Neuter Clinic

After Surgery Recommendations

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You can also find these instructions printed on your paperwork that you are provided with on pick up.

Spaying or neutering is major surgery. Your pet will need your close attention to help prevent complications. Follow these instructions to assure that your dog or cat has a successful recovery:

 

Caring for Your Dog After Surgery:

Thank you for spaying/neutering your dog. You have just helped to decrease the potential number of homeless animals and made your dog healthier and happier! Although spays and neuters are common procedures, please remember that your pet has just gone through surgery and needs appropriate care to properly recover.

Note: The postoperative care line can be reached at (321) 366-2761. If you have any questions or concernsafter hours after your pet has had surgery, call this number. If your pet has a situation that you feel cannot wait for assistance from us, please call your local emergency clinic. Payment of fees for care at a veterinary clinic is your responsibility, not Brevard Spay/Neuter's.

Anesthesia and Surgery
Monitor your pet for any signs of abnormal recovery from anesthesia and/or surgery. These may include, bleeding, lethargy or weakness, loss of appetite/decreased water intake, shivering, unsteady gait that persist beyond 24 hours after surgery. Call the post-operative care line immediately if your pet experiences excessive vomiting, diarrhea, labored breathing or has pale gums.

Vaccinations
If your pet received vaccinations, monitor the site of vaccination (shoulder/hind leg) and check for signs that your dog is having a reaction to the vaccine. These include, swelling of face, hives, limping, drooling, itchiness or pain or swelling at the vaccine site (shoulder/hind leg). If any of these signs occur, call the postoperative care line.

Food and Water
Approximately half your pet’s normal serving of food and water should be offered about two hours after returning home from the clinic. If your pet is under 16 weeks of age, feed him/her approximately half the normal amount of food and water as soon as you return home. If your puppy will not eat when he/she returns home and you can, without risk of being bitten, rub maple or Karo Syrup on the pet’s gums using a cotton-tipped applicator. Do not remove your pet’s E-collar for feeding unless you are able to supervise while the E-collar is off. If you do remove it for meals, replace the E-collar immediately after your pet is finished eating.

Pain Medication
Your pet was given long-acting pain medication in conjunction with the spay/neuter surgery. DO NOT GIVE HUMAN MEDICATION TO YOUR PET. It is dangerous and can be fatal.

Surgery Site
There are no stitches on the outside of the surgery site. All stitches are underneath the skin. These stitches dissolve, so there is no need to seek medical attention for suture removal. The two sides of the incision are also adhered with medical grade glue. If your animal easily allows, check the surgery site daily to make sure that it is healing. What you see on the day the animal is released from surgery is considered to be normal appearance for the surgical site. If the surgery site is very red, has green/yellow discharge, has a bad odor, has something sticking out from it, is warm to the touch, or has bruising or a bump that seems to be growing, contact the postoperative care line. Do not apply any products to the surgery site unless recommended by staff members of Brevard Spay-Neuter Clinic. If your dog had a scrotal neuter (open neuter):

You will notice a slight opening for draining. Bloody drainage is expected over the next 24-72 hours. Place disposable linens/bedding where your dog will be. Some bruising and swelling expected. You can ice the area 1-2 times a day for 10 min each: make sure there is a towel or barrier between the ice and the skin. An e-collar is highly recommended for 14 days if your dog pays any attention to the area: licking can invite bacteria into the surgical site. An e-collar can be purchased from Brevard Spay-Neuter Clinic for $10.

Tattoo
Animals who have had surgery receive a small green tattoo. For dogs, the tattoo is placed alongside the surgical incision. No complications from the tattoo are expected, as sterile instruments are used to create it. However, please monitor the tattoo site for redness, swelling, or discharge. If these occur, please contact the postoperative care line.

Licking the Surgery Site
Prevent your pet from licking the surgery site as licking at the incision can cause a painful infection. Your pet’s E-collar should prevent him/her from licking. Please use the E-collar for 10-14 days after surgery.

Jumping and Playing
Restrict jumping and playing for fourteen days after surgery. Too much activity can cause the surgery site to open or become swollen. To help keep your pet from being too active:

• Place your pet in an adequately sized carrier, kennel, crate, or small room when you’re not able to supervise him/her.

• If your pet is small, carry him/her up and down stairs.

• Walk your pet on-leash to allow him/her to go to the bathroom. Do not take your pet for long walks or allow him/her to roughhouse with other animals or people. Also, do not allow your pet to jump on or off furniture.

Keep Your Pet Away from Other Animals
Keep neutered males away from unspayed females. Neutered males can get an unspayed female pregnant for up to 30 days after neuter surgery. Keep spayed females away from unneutered males who may wish to mount them. Animals returning from the Spay/Neuter Clinic may also smell different to other animals in the household. This can cause the animals to fight, so be prepared to keep your pets in separate areas for a few days following surgery.

Bathroom Habits
Monitor your pet’s urine for blood. A small amount may be present in female animals during the first 24 hours after surgery. If this continues or if your pet seems otherwise ill at any time, call the postoperative care line. If your pet is usually anxious, they may experience bloody diarrhea after surgery. If this occurs, we recommend switching over to a bland diet (rice with boiled chicken, no seasoning) and/or purchasing a probiotic (ex. Forti-Flora) from yout local pet store. If symptoms persist or worsen, please call the post-operative care line.

Bathing Your Pet
Do not bathe your pet for 14 days following surgery

Behavior
Spaying or neutering your pet can reduce or eliminate certain undesirable behaviors, such as urine marking, mounting, aggression, or spraying, but these behaviors may have already been learned and might not go away completely. If these behaviors do go away, they will do so gradually.

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Caring for Your Cat After Surgery:

Thank you for spaying/neutering your cat. You have just helped to decrease the potential number of homeless animals and made your cat healthier and happier! Although spays and neuters are common procedures, please remember that your pet has just gone through surgery and needs appropriate care to properly recover. Your cat received a long-acting injection of anesthetic and pain medication. These drugs may still be influencing your cat's behavior, even if he/she seems to be fully recovered.  Please monitor the cat for at least 24 hours following surgery in order to provide the best and safest care possible.

Note: The postoperative care line can be reached at (321) 366-2761. If you have any questions or concerns after hours after your pet has had surgery, call this number. If your pet has a situation that you feel cannot wait for assistance from us, please call your local emergency clinic. Payment of fees for care at a veterinary clinic is your responsibility, not Brevard Spay/Neuter's.

Anesthesia and Surgery
Monitor your pet for any signs of abnormal recovery from anesthesia and/or surgery. These may include, bleeding, lethargy or weakness, loss of appetite/decreased water intake, shivering, unsteady gait that persist beyond 24 hours after surgery. Call the post-operative care line immediately if your pet experiences excessive vomiting, diarrhea, labored breathing or has pale gums.

Vaccinations
If your pet received vaccinations, monitor the site of vaccination (shoulder/hind leg) and check for signs that your cat is having a reaction to the vaccine. These include, swelling of face, hives, limping, drooling, itchiness or pain or swelling at the vaccine site (shoulder/hind leg). If any of these signs occur, call the postoperative care line.

Food and Water
Approximately half your pet’s normal serving of food and water should be offered about two hours after returning home from the clinic. If your pet is under 16 weeks of age, feed him/her approximately half the normal amount of food and water as soon as you return home. If your kitten will not eat when he/she returns home and you can, without risk of being bitten, rub maple or Karo Syrup on the pet’s gums using a cotton-tipped applicator. Do not remove your pet’s E-collar for feeding unless you are able to supervise while the E-collar is off. If you do remove it for meals, replace the E-collar immediately after your pet is finished eating.

Pain Medication
Your pet was given long-acting pain medication in conjunction with the spay/neuter surgery. DO NOT GIVE HUMAN MEDICATION TO YOUR PET. It is dangerous and can be fatal.

Surgery Site
There are no stitches on the outside of the surgery site. All stitches are underneath the skin. These stitches dissolve, so there is no need to seek medical attention for suture removal. The two sides of the incision are also adhered with medical grade glue. If your animal easily allows, check the surgery site daily to make sure that it is healing. What you see on the day the animal is released from surgery is considered to be normal appearance for the surgical site. If the surgery site is very red, has green/yellow discharge, has a bad odor, has something sticking out from it, is warm to the touch, or has bruising or a bump that seems to be growing, contact the postoperative care line. Do not apply any products to the surgery site unless recommended by staff members of Brevard Spay-Neuter Clinic. An e-collar is highly recommended for 14 days if your cat pays any attention to the area: licking can invite bacteria into the surgical site. An e-collar can be purchased from Brevard Spay-Neuter Clinic for $10.

Tattoo
Animals who have had surgery receive a small green tattoo. The tattoo is placed alongside the surgical incision. No complications from the tattoo are expected, as sterile instruments are used to create it. However, please monitor the tattoo site for redness, swelling, or discharge. If these occur, please contact the postoperative care line.

Licking the Surgery Site
Prevent your pet from licking the surgery site as licking at the incision can cause a painful infection. Your pet’s E-collar should prevent him/her from licking. Please use the E-collar for 10-14 days after surgery.

Jumping and Playing
Restrict jumping and playing for fourteen days after surgery. Too much activity can cause the surgery site to open or become swollen. To help keep your pet from being too active:

• Place your pet in an adequately sized carrier, kennel, crate, or small room when you’re not able to supervise him/her.

• Do not allow him/her to roughhouse with other animals or people. Also, do not allow your pet to jump on or off furniture.

Keep Your Pet Away from Other Animals
Keep neutered males away from unspayed females. Neutered males can get an unspayed female pregnant for up to 30 days after neuter surgery. Keep spayed females away from unneutered males who may wish to mount them. Animals returning from the Spay/Neuter Clinic may also smell different to other animals in the household. This can cause the animals to fight, so be prepared to keep your pets in separate areas for a few days following surgery.

Bathroom Habits
Monitor your pet’s urine for blood. A small amount may be present in female animals during the first 24 hours after surgery. If this continues or if your pet seems otherwise ill at any time, call the postoperative care line.

Bathing Your Pet
Do not bathe your pet for 14 days following surgery

Behavior
Spaying or neutering your pet can reduce or eliminate certain undesirable behaviors, such as urine marking, mounting, aggression, or spraying, but these behaviors may have already been learned and might not go away completely. If these behaviors do go away, they will do so gradually.

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Caring for Community/Feral Cats After Surgery: Please keep all cats in their traps until the day after surgery, even if they appear to be friendly and alert.  This provides protection and security for both the cats and for the people that work with them. The cats will be groggy and need to sleep overnight.  Please do not disturb them by reaching into the trap-they often overact and may bite!  Anyone who is bitten or scratched by a cat should receive immediate medical attention. DO NOT RELEASE a cat that has caused an injury until authorized by Brevard County Animal Services. Keep the cats in their traps in a warm, draft-free area, such as a bathroom or garage, overnight.  Never leave cats outside following surgery. The cats cannot regulate their body temperature while recovering from anesthesia and are susceptible to dying from heat or cold exposure. If the cats are fully awake the next day, they may be offered food and water and released back to the colony.  If the cat is not yet fully awake or is bleeding, please call the emergency number below. Eartipping is performed to identify a sterilized Community Cat (whether feral or friendly) that is part of a managed colony. An eartip indicates that a cat has already been trapped, sterilized, and vaccinated for Rabies at the very minimum. This prevents the trauma of a second trapping and unnecessary anesthesia or surgery. A cat with no eartip tells caregivers that the cat hasn’t been sterilized and vaccinated yet. Eartipping is performed under anesthesia and sterile conditions. It is permanent, can be seen without capturing the cat, and heals as quickly as the spay or neuter incision. Thank you for helping the cats in your neighborhood!