Post-Operative Care Best Practices for Small Animals

The success of any surgical procedure does not end when the last suture is placed. Post-operative care is a critical phase that directly influences patient outcomes, complication rates, and client satisfaction. In this article, I outline the evidence-based practices that I follow and recommend for optimising recovery in feline and canine surgical patients.

Immediate Recovery: The First Two Hours

The immediate post-operative period carries the highest risk of complications. During recovery from anaesthesia, patients should be monitored continuously with particular attention to:

• Airway patency: The endotracheal tube should remain in place until the patient demonstrates a strong swallow reflex. Brachycephalic breeds require especially close monitoring during this phase
• Cardiovascular stability: Heart rate, pulse quality, and mucous membrane colour should be assessed every five minutes during the initial recovery
• Temperature regulation: Hypothermia is common following surgery. Active warming using forced air warming blankets is preferred over heat pads, which carry a burn risk in recumbent patients
• Pain assessment: Using validated pain scoring tools such as the Glasgow Composite Pain Scale for dogs or the Feline Grimace Scale for cats

Pain Management: A Multimodal Approach

Effective analgesia is not optional; it is a welfare obligation and a clinical necessity. Inadequately managed pain delays healing, suppresses appetite, increases stress hormone levels, and reduces patient cooperation with post-operative care.

I advocate for a multimodal approach that combines different classes of analgesic to target pain through multiple mechanisms:

• Opioids: Remain the cornerstone of post-surgical analgesia. Methadone provides excellent visceral and somatic pain relief, whilst buprenorphine is suitable for moderate pain in both cats and dogs
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Meloxicam is widely used and well-tolerated in both species, provided renal function is adequate and the patient is normotensive
• Local anaesthetic techniques: Incisional line blocks, splash blocks, and regional nerve blocks significantly reduce systemic analgesic requirements
• Adjunctive agents: Paracetamol (dogs only) and gabapentin can provide additional analgesia, particularly for neuropathic pain components

Wound Care and Monitoring

Surgical site assessment should be performed at least twice daily during hospitalisation and at every post-operative recheck. Key parameters to evaluate include:

• Swelling: Mild swelling is expected in the first 24-48 hours but should be progressively resolving by day three
• Discharge: Minimal serosanguineous discharge is normal in the first 24 hours. Any purulent discharge warrants investigation
• Skin apposition: Suture or staple integrity, evidence of dehiscence, and tension on the wound margins
• Bruising: Some bruising is expected, particularly following extensive soft tissue procedures

Elizabethan collars or surgical recovery suits should be used to prevent self-trauma to the surgical site. Client compliance with these protective measures is one of the most important factors in preventing post-operative wound complications.

Nutrition and Hydration

Early return to voluntary feeding is associated with improved healing and shorter hospital stays. For most surgical patients, a small meal can be offered 4-6 hours post-operatively, provided there are no contraindications such as gastrointestinal surgery requiring a longer fasting period.

For patients reluctant to eat, warming food slightly, offering highly palatable recovery diets, and hand-feeding can encourage intake. Cats in particular may benefit from familiar foods brought from home, as stress-related inappetence is common in hospitalised felines. Fluid therapy should continue until the patient is eating and drinking voluntarily and maintaining adequate hydration.

Client Communication and Discharge

Clear, written discharge instructions are essential. Verbal instructions alone are insufficient, as clients are often anxious and may not retain all the information provided. Discharge notes should cover:

• Medication names, doses, and administration schedules
• Activity restriction guidelines and duration
• Wound care instructions and what to monitor for
• When to contact the clinic (warning signs)
• Follow-up appointment dates

Taking the time to walk clients through these instructions and answer their questions significantly reduces unnecessary emergency calls and improves compliance with the recovery plan.

Follow-Up Schedule

A structured follow-up schedule ensures that any complications are detected early. My standard recommendation is a wound check at 3-5 days post-operatively, suture or staple removal at 10-14 days, and a final assessment at 4-6 weeks for cases involving significant surgical intervention. This schedule should be adjusted based on the complexity of the procedure, the patient's health status, and the presence of any risk factors for delayed healing.