Food and water: With the excitement of returning home after
Surgery, your pet may be inclined to drink and eat excessively, which
May result in vomiting. Allow only small amounts of food and water for the first eight hours. Normal feeding may resume the next day.

Diet: The excitement of returning home after surgery may make your pet
want to eat or drink excessively, which can result in vomiting. To
avoid this, restrict access to water for an hour or two until your pet
has quieted down. Then allow only small amounts of water for the
first 8 hours. Normal feeding may resume the next day.

Eliminations: Many patients may not have a bowel movement for 24
to 36 hours after surgery. This is normal.

Exercise and activity: Patients recovering from surgery should have limited exercise. Due to the effects of anesthesia, he/she may be groggy for 12 hours.

Medications: Please follow directions on any medications carefully.
1.________________________________________________________
2.________________________________________________________
Sutures: Prevent your pet from licking or chewing at the incision. Check the incision daily for any swelling, redness or discharge. If the incision appears irritated or infected, contact a Pet hospital immediately.
 Surgical glue was used and there are no sutures that need to be removed.
 Please schedule an appointment for suture removal in _____ days.

A decrease in activity or appetite for one or two days may be observed. However, if your pet exhibits any of the following symptoms, please notify Pet Hospital:
(1) Loss of appetite for more than 2 days
(2) Refusal to drink water for more than 1 day
(3) Weakness
(4) Vomiting or Diarrhea

Please schedule a recheck appointment in _______days.

Week 1
1. Provide pain management with NSAID’s for the first five days. (or longer)
2. Apply an ice pack to the stifle for 10-15 minutes two to four times a day for the first 24-36 hours after surgery
3. If inflammation has resolved after 72 hours, apply a hot pack to the stifle for 10-15 minutes two or three times a day.
4. Perform passive range of motion exercise- 10 slow repetitions three times a day.
5. Precede and follow the passive range of motion exercise with massage of the quadriceps muscles and neuromuscular electrical stimulation, if possible
6. Begin slow leash walks of less than 10 minutes three times daily.
Week 2 and 3
1. Apply a hot pack to the stifle for 10-15 minutes two or three times a day until the swelling has resolved.
2. Stop passive range of motion exercise if the patient is using its limb correctly.
3. Increase slow leash walks to 10-20 minutes three time a day.
4. Continue massage and neuromuscular electrical stimulation, if possible.
5. Do a follow-up examination three weeks after surgery to evaluate range of motion, limb girth and weight bearing.
Week 4 and 5
1. Increase the slow leash walks to 20-30 minutes two or three times a day.
2. Have the patient perform 10 repetitions of the sit-stand exercises three times a day.
3. Have the patient perform 10-15 repetitions of figure 8 walks two or three times a day, circling to the right and to the left.
4. Have the patient sit against a wall for 10-15 repetitions two or three times a day, keeping the affected knee next to the wall.
5. Consider initiating swimming exercises for one to three minutes twice a day.
Week 6 to 8
1. Do a follow-up examination 6 weeks after surgery to evaluate the patient’s range of motion, limb girth and weight bearing.
2. Take the patient on leash walks for 30-40 minutes once a day slow enough to insure that the patient is weight bearing on the affected limb.
3. Take the patient on incline walks on hills or ramps for five to ten minutes once or twice today.
4. Have the patient go up a flight of stairs five to ten times slowly twice daily.
5. Have the patient swim
Week 9 to 12
At this point, the patients healing should be complete, and it should gradually return to full activity by the end of 12 weeks.
1. Take the dog on faster 30-40 minute walks once or twice a day.
2. Take the dog for a run- straight only, no turns- for 10-15 minutes twice a day.

• Add to My Favorites
•