home Audience 5 How to care for a cat after abdominal surgery. How long does it take for a cat to recover from anesthesia after sterilization: how long is she “high.” How does the cat feel?

How to care for a cat after abdominal surgery. How long does it take for a cat to recover from anesthesia after sterilization: how long is she “high.” How does the cat feel?

Update: April 2019

The sterilization (castration) operation is only half the battle (see c). The most important period is the postoperative period, which falls on the shoulders of the cat owner. The veterinarian who performed the operation must provide instructions on all the intricacies of caring for the animal after anesthesia, tell and show how to handle sutures and what to pay attention to when emergency situations arise.

After sterilization, the abdomen should be protected with a special blanket (bandage) with ties on the back. The protective bandage is worn all the time until the stitches are removed, plus another day or two, so that the cat does not lick small wounds from the threads.

A cat blanket is usually made of natural cotton fabric and does not cause physical discomfort to the animal after surgery. But due to the peculiarities of tactile sensitivity, the cat may be lazy to walk in it or have a strange gait. When the bandage is removed, everything falls into place.

You need to be careful that the cat does not cling to anything with the blanket and does not get stuck anywhere.

Eyes

If the cat is handed over to the owners after the operation in a state of anesthesia, then the process of blinking for the pet falls on them. Cats under anesthesia are often with open eyes. To prevent the cornea from drying out, you need to periodically cover your eyes (blink) or drip artificial tears or 0.9% saline solution onto their surface.

General condition of the house

Upon arrival home, the cat should be placed warmly (for example, on a warm heating pad) and on soft bedding, because After anesthesia, the process of thermoregulation is disrupted. Be sure to place it on the floor so that during the awakening process the animal does not fall from a height. It is necessary to lay down a well-absorbent diaper, because... Until recovery from anesthesia, the cat cannot control physiological needs in emptying the bladder and rectum. There may be trembling throughout the body (general tremor) or vomiting.

You need to place the cat on its right side to reduce the load on the heart.

At first, the cat should not actively play, jump, or climb on pieces of furniture. If sterilization was carried out after childbirth, and there are kittens left in the house, you need to limit their contact for the first time. 2-3 month old kittens can suckle a cat for a long time, and this is fraught with injury postoperative wound. Sterilization of a nursing cat is carried out according to emergency indications, because postoperative complications in the mammary gland are possible.

On the first day after surgery, the cat must definitely go to the toilet - it is important not to miss stagnation in urination and bowel movements after anesthesia.
For the first two days, you may need pain relief. Pain is indicated by increased aggressiveness, apathy, meowing, refusal to eat, dilated pupils and reluctance to move.
Antibiotic therapy is not required if the operation is planned and carried out taking into account the rules of asepsis and antisepsis.
Vitamin preparations and restoratives are prescribed only to old and weak cats who have undergone a difficult operation.
In case of urgent need (the suture is bleeding or it has been discovered internal bleeding) hemostatic therapy may be prescribed.

Coming out of anesthesia

Three types of anesthesia are usually used. After each type of anesthesia, the cat comes to its senses differently.

Muscle relaxants + analgesics. The most effective mixture, used most often. The main disadvantage is the difficult recovery from such anesthesia: from 5-6 hours to a day.
Muscle relaxant + epidural anesthesia. The mixture is slightly toxic, the cat easily tolerates it and quickly recovers from such anesthesia (up to 8 hours maximum). But there is a high probability of complications if the injection into the epidural space is carried out incorrectly - full sensitivity and physical activity in the hind limbs can return up to 2 days. When performing such anesthesia, the qualifications and experience of the surgeon are very important.
Gas (inhalation) anesthesia. A very effective and minimally toxic method, but it is rarely used due to the lack of special equipment and mixtures of substances for anesthesia. The cat comes to its senses almost immediately as soon as the anesthesia machine is turned off.

When recovering from anesthesia, the cat will be out of control for some time, coordination will be impaired, and the cat’s behavior after sterilization may seem inadequate. There are attempts to get up, run somewhere, perhaps meowing, and an obvious lack of understanding of what is happening around. It is important not to let the animal hide in the far dark corner, so that there are no difficulties in removing it. For some time, the cat may not respond to the name, walk slowly, unsteadily and unsteadily. The main thing is that the pet is visible all the time for the first day!

Food and drink

On the day of the operation, the cat does not need to be fed, only watered as soon as it begins to rise after recovering from anesthesia. In the first hours after waking up, it is better to do this through a syringe. Be sure to monitor whether the animal makes swallowing movements so that it does not choke.

Start feeding from the second day with 1/3 of the usual portion. The cat should drink on its own. Food should be easily digestible and low-fat. On the 3rd day, the cat should begin to show independent interest in food, i.e. start asking. All food should be balanced. Portions are increased gradually, but not to the maximum - sterilized cats should be protected from obesity.

There are cases that a cat does not eat after sterilization for 2-3 days, but only drinks. If the lack of appetite is not associated with any other additional symptoms, can be considered this phenomenon as an individual version of the norm.

Processing and removal of seams

Throughout the entire postoperative period, the suture should be clean and dry. Any suppuration, inflammation or bloody wetting is a reason to contact a veterinarian.

Depending on the type of operation, the stitches may be on the abdomen along the linea alba, on the side, or in the form of punctures if the operation was performed using a laparoscope.

Sutures are placed on the muscle layer and on the skin (if on the stomach) or only on the skin (with an incision on the side, the muscles are not cut, but moved apart, and during laparoscopy small punctures are made). Internal seams applied with self-absorbing threads, external ones - with surgical thread (it must be removed over time).

Until the sutures are removed, the wound is treated daily with any antiseptic solution, but without alcohol content, so as not to cause skin burns. There is an opinion that seams do not need to be processed, but to do this, the possibility of contamination of the seam must be completely eliminated. For comfort better processing carried out together: one person holds the cat standing on a horizontal surface, carefully picking it up under the front paws, the second person rolls up the blanket and processes the seam.

There are sprays with which the seam is treated immediately after surgery, and then every few days (for example, Aluminum spray or Chemi spray), and this is an almost 100% guarantee that no infection will get into the wound.

On days 7-10, the sutures are removed (after the 12th day, the threads will begin to grow into the skin). This can be done at a veterinary clinic or on your own.

Seams are made in two ways: stapled or continuous. The staple stitch consists of several threads tied into knots at equal distances. It is enough to pull the protruding threads, separate the knot from the skin, cut the loop and pull out the thread. If the seam is continuous, then the knot is cut off on one side, the seam fastening is on the other, the thread is pulled through the middle and the whole thing is pulled out.
When can you remove a cat's blanket? On the same day as the removal of the suture, it is allowed to remove the bandage, but if the cat does not lick the wound, or when the wound is already densely overgrown with hair, which prevents irritation of the wound by the rough cat’s tongue.

Medicinal support

Painkillers:

Rimadyl (carprofen)– intravenously or subcutaneously at a dose of 4 mg/kg (equivalent to 1 ml/12.5 kg of weight) once a day;
Tolfedine (tolfenamic acid) – 4 mg/kg once a day orally with food;
Ketofen 1% (ketoprofen)– subcutaneously, intramuscularly or intravenously at a dose of 2 mg/kg (or 0.2 ml/kg) once a day and no longer than 3-4 days;
Loxicom (meloxicam)– 0.1 mg suspension/kg orally on the first day once, 0.05 mg/kg on subsequent days.

Seam treatment products:

Chlorhexidine 0.05% (water solution) – water the seam through a dispenser or drip from above using a pipette until healing;
Dioxidine 0.5% - use similarly to Chlohexidine;
Veteritsin spray - spray the suture area 1-2 times a day before removal;
Aluminum spray - spray on the seam every few days until healing;
Chemi spray - treat the seam once a day until healing;
Levomekol ointment - apply around the wound once a day, under a bandage.

Antibiotics:

Sinulox (amoxicillin + clavulanic acid) – intramuscularly once a day at a dose of 0.5 ml/10 kg for 3-5 days;
Amoxicillin 15% - subcutaneously or intramuscularly 1 ml/kg (in terms of 15 mg/kg) once for 5 days.

General strengthening drugs:

Gamavit - the first 2-3 days at a dose of 0.5 ml/kg of body weight, then up to two weeks at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg.

Hemostatic agents:

Travmatin - intramuscularly or subcutaneously 0.5-1 ml 2-5 times a day;
Etamsylate – 0.1 ml/kg twice a day.

Care: first week day by day

Day 1

After surgery, the cat sleeps an additional 30 minutes to 1-1.5 hours. On the first day the animal is half asleep and lethargic. There is a lack of coordination of movements. There may be hallucinations. Do not give any drugs that speed up recovery from anesthesia without the consent of your veterinarian! For the first 24 hours, you need to be nearby, pet the animal, hold it in your arms, and observe. When leaving, it is better to leave the cat in a small enclosed space and on the floor to avoid it falling and leaving in an unknown direction. Do not provide food or water - there is no need to feed the baby at all during the first day; you need to give it drips from a syringe or pipette.

If there is no blinking, close the cat's eyes yourself to prevent the cornea from drying out. Do this before you start blinking on your own.

On the first day, the animal is disoriented - it can run away in an unknown direction, stop abruptly, run into walls, meow, fall and fall asleep, jump up, etc. There is no need to be afraid. It is better to place your pet in a non-passable room so that no one or anything can disturb it.
Possible involuntary urination. If the cat goes to the toilet on its own, you can support it by stretching a towel under the belly the full width of the body for stability and additional stimulation intestines.

There is vomiting. The first sign of gagging is excessive licking of the face. You should not bathe until the stitch heals.

If the cat is in pain, it needs an anesthetic injection, previously prescribed by a veterinarian.

Day 2

The cat gradually comes to its senses and becomes more adequate. You can put water near it and start feeding it a little. Start with eating low-fat chicken broth or kefir with bifidobacteria. Do not overfeed under any circumstances, but give all food in small portions. IN free access and there should only be plenty of water! Even if before the operation the cat was only on dry food, you should not start with it - it is better to replace it with similar “wet” ones.

If the animal moves little and the paws are cool, you need to rub them or put the cat on a warm heating pad, promptly removing the cold one. On the second day, she can hide from prying eyes - you must make sure that the animal is always in sight. If you are allowed to hide, then in places where you can easily get it.

The cat's toilet should be somewhere nearby so as not to bother the animal with unnecessary walking after surgery.

If a cat does not walk at all after sterilization, then there are two reasons: the animal is uncomfortable in the bandage or there are problems with the hind limbs after anesthesia (especially after epidural anesthesia). The exact cause will be determined by a veterinarian who can be invited to your home.

Continue to monitor behavior, appetite, urination, bowel movements (should have already appeared) and general condition.

Usually the pain goes away on the second day. If there are still signs of discomfort due to pain, a painkiller is given or injected.

Day 3

On the 3rd day, the cat should fully come to its senses: show activity and interest in what is happening, go to its litter box and start asking for food. You can gradually switch to a regular diet, but the ban on overfeeding remains.

On this day, it is necessary to measure your body temperature. Body temperature is measured rectally (in the rectum) with the tip of a thermometer lubricated with Vaseline or any greasy cream. If the temperature is elevated by two measurements during the day, you need to contact your veterinarian - you may have to start taking antibiotics. The course will have to be completed in full, regardless of which day the temperature drops to normal.

If the temperature does not begin to decrease from antibiotics, you need to take the cat to a veterinarian or call him at home - there is a risk that the infection is viral, and this is a risk of death of the animal due to post-operative weakness.

Also a reason to contact a veterinarian if the body temperature is below 37.5°C.

If there is no bowel movement, you can give mild laxatives based on lactulose (Lactusan, Duphalac). The intestines must be emptied regularly - this must be monitored, because... very often after anesthesia there is a slowdown in intestinal motility.

Day 4

By the fourth day, the animal should actively and independently eat and drink, active urination and bowel movements should be noted.

If there is no urination, you need to give 1/5 tablet of no-shpa or 2-3 drops of valerian tincture diluted in a teaspoon of water. After 15 minutes do light massage abdomen at the level of the bladder. Urination should appear. If still not, the cat needs to be taken to a veterinary hospital for bladder catheterization.

Day 5

By the fifth day, you can start letting the cat out of the closed room, because... She can be allowed some activity - walk relatively long distances (between rooms); she can be allowed to walk in the yard (under supervision) if the animal had access to the street before sterilization. You can jump on low surfaces.

By the fifth day, the swelling and redness around the suture should subside, if there were any such signs. Signs of scarring should appear.

Day 6 and 7

The only reminders that the cat has undergone surgery are the blanket (bandage) and the presence of postoperative sutures. By the end of the week, the animal should be fully active, eat with appetite, drink when it wants, sleep in any chosen place, jumping onto the sofa or chairs (it is, of course, still difficult to jump onto the windowsill from the floor).

No pain. Urinate and have bowel movements as usual. If the body's resistance is normal, the sutures can be removed on the 7th day - maximum on the 10th.

The suture after sterilization of a cat should be clean, dry, with signs of dense scarring, without signs of inflammation or suppuration.

Possible postoperative complications

Complications after planned surgical interventions develop extremely rarely and, in most cases, it depends on individual characteristics specific animal.

Main postoperative complications:

Prolonged post-anesthesia hypothermia. If a cat lies for a long time without moving, and its ears and paws feel cold to the touch, it is necessary to check its body temperature. If the readings are below 37°C, you need to put the cat on a warm heating pad, cover it with any natural piece of fabric and contact your veterinarian for advice.
Intra-abdominal bleeding. If traces of fresh blood are detected in the suture area or from the vulva, with obvious abdominal pain and pallor skin you need to immediately take the cat to a veterinary hospital to stop possible bleeding in abdominal cavity. If internal bleeding is confirmed, then repeated surgery is performed.
Postoperative hyperthermia. At increased rates body temperature for more than 3 days (above 39°C), you must definitely consult with a veterinarian or take the cat to an appointment for direct examination by a specialist.
Redness around the stitch and swelling. Within 3-5 days is allowed similar condition suture, provided that there is no discharge from the wound. After 5 days, both redness and swelling will begin to subside and will completely disappear by the time the stitches are removed.
Rotting postoperative suture. If the cat's postoperative hygiene measures are not followed, dirt may get into the seam, causing it to fester. It is imperative to show the animal to a doctor. If prescribed drugs for local processing will not help eliminate such signs, the doctor will have to remove the stitches, remove the damaged areas of skin around the wound under anesthesia and stitch them up again.
Lump on the abdomen in the suture area. If an enlarged area is detected anywhere around the seam, this is a reason to consult a veterinarian. There are two options for cones after sterilization - this is post-operative swelling, which may have to be opened, or growth granulation tissue(“young” skin), which will go away on its own within a month and a half.

Sterilization (castration) is not complex operation, the difficulty lies in postoperative period. After surgical intervention You should definitely get recommendations from your veterinarian on how to care for your cat and strictly adhere to them. In any emergency situation, you must consult a specialist.

144 comments

The word of a veterinary specialist is law. Follow the recommendations and do not self-medicate. If the doctor has prescribed antibiotics for your cat, give it antibiotics for exactly as many days as prescribed, even if it seems to you that the pet has already recovered. All instructions must be followed - the success of rehabilitation depends on this.

2. Monitor your pet's condition.

If possible, take time off for the first few days after surgery. A weakened cat will need your help and careful monitoring of its condition: temperature, stool, stitches, etc. You should always have the veterinarian’s phone number at hand. In case of deterioration or if you have any questions, be sure to contact him.

Under no circumstances should wounds be treated with iodine or brilliant green: this will cause a burn. Typically, veterinary specialists recommend chlorhexidine or Vetericin solution - powerful and completely safe antiseptics. By the way, they are applied painlessly.

4. Don't let your cat lick the stitches.

The cat should not be allowed to lick the stitches, otherwise they will become inflamed and will not heal. Block “access” to the seams with a blanket or a special collar.

5. Organize an ideal resting place for your cat.

During the day after surgery, the cat's coordination may be impaired, because... The effect of the anesthesia will still last. To prevent her from accidentally falling and injuring herself, arrange for her a quiet, warm place on the floor, away from drafts, doors and household appliances. The same applies to weakened pets. If your cat is not yet strong enough, it is not advisable to place it on high surfaces (bed, chair, etc.).

Cats also experience a drop in temperature after surgery. The owner's task is to prevent the pet from freezing. A blanket and a soft, warm bed with sides will help you do this.

6. Restoring immunity!

A nutritious diet gives the body the strength to recover. Special diet A veterinarian will prescribe it for the cat.

To speed up the rehabilitation process, introduce special prebiotic drinks (Viyo Recuperation) into your diet. Prebiotics have already proven themselves in human therapy as effective remedy to strengthen the immune system and have recently been produced also for dogs and cats. In addition to strengthening the immune system, they have a good effect on the intestines. Prebiotics stimulate contraction of its walls, which is very important in postoperative period. The effect of anesthesia causes atony (slowing down the movement of the intestinal walls), leading to constipation. If the operation is abdominal, in the first days it is painful for the pet to push, and constipation causes great discomfort. Prebiotics solve this problem.

Keep it clean drinking water was always freely available for the pet.

During the rehabilitation period, the animal requires rest. He should not be disturbed by other pets, children, loud noise or other irritants. Rest and sleep are the most important steps to recovery.

9. The owner must take care of the cat.

After surgery, a weakened pet experiences stress, and sometimes even fear, and may behave inappropriately. Communication is not what he needs at this stage. It is advisable to disturb the cat as little as possible, and entrust care to one person - the one she trusts most.

10. Limit physical activity.

During the first time after surgery, physical activity is contraindicated for cats. Over time, your pet's life will become active and energetic again. But how quickly this should happen and at what pace – a veterinary specialist will tell you.

Be careful and take care of your pets. We wish them a speedy recovery!

07.06.2012

Caring for the animal before and after surgery

This article is dedicated to caring for animals before and especially after surgery, as this care requires a lot of effort and responsibility. Some of the information on caring for animals is also applicable in other situations.

Majority surgical operations carried out under general anesthesia. Indeed, the use of anesthetics is associated with certain risks, and surgery is equally painful for humans and animals. But if you call for help common sense, all this turns out to be not so scary. Surgery for pets has already reached certain heights, but there is always the risk of being under general anesthesia.

Anesthesia should be performed on an empty stomach. This reduces the risk of nausea during anesthesia sleep. Before surgery, your doctor may suggest that your animal undergo full examination, the condition of the heart and lungs must be examined especially carefully. In doubtful cases, a blood test should be done to check the functioning of the kidneys and liver. In many cases, in most animals, especially young and clinically healthy ones, there is no such need. In most cases, such studies concern animals at risk (old, with concomitant chronic diseases). If any violations are detected, it is necessary to reconsider the method of anesthesia so as not to harm the body.

Most anesthetics reduce or eliminate the feeling of pain during surgery, but some interventions are still very painful, especially those involving the cavity and bones. There is no need to try to reduce the dose of painkillers after surgery - you are unlikely to wait for the animal to ask for medicine - many of them stoically endure suffering. Follow your doctor's instructions for administering medications! In general, animals recover faster after surgery than people. They recover faster because they do not know human post-operative anxieties and worries. However, you should not relieve the pain completely. Pain to some extent helps the sick body fight the disease. Unpleasant sensations after surgery are not so harmful, they force the patient to lie still, preventing postoperative complications.

Proper care before and after surgery is required for a successful recovery.

Often dogs and cats are bad patients for surgeons because, unlike people, they are not aware of this event, and in the postoperative period they will not follow those recommendations that people always strive to follow with great diligence in order to avoid postoperative complications. Some individuals have low pain sensitivity, so in the first two to three days after the operation they feel normal.

Before surgery , if it is not an emergency, then you have time to prepare everything for receiving the animal after the operation. In the first one to two days, supervision of the operated animal is necessary not only because of its feeling unwell, but also because of the possibility of complications when recovering from anesthesia, self-injury and removal of sutures.

Preoperative fasting . Your veterinarian should advise you of the need for a 6 – 12 – 24 hour fast before surgery. This is necessary so as not to cause shock or vomiting in the animal when it is under anesthesia, or it facilitates the work of the surgeon during surgery on the abdominal organs. If you have violated these instructions, it is better to postpone the operation. In some cases - when used for surgery, very mild degree anesthesia (sedation, immobilization), and when using certain narcotic drugs, this requirement is optional, but you must warn the doctor! And he will decide on the admissibility of the operation.

Be sure to tell your veterinarian how the animal tolerates anesthesia (if it was previously used), especially if there were problems.

If your pet is taking any medications, ask your veterinarian if they need to be stopped.

If any changes have occurred in the animal’s condition (vomiting, diarrhea, etc.) or there are other problems, be sure to inform your doctor. If the animal is not vaccinated, which we consider unacceptable, then inform the doctor: perhaps the doctor will advise you to vaccinate the animal first, and only after a certain time (at least two weeks after the last administration of the vaccine) return to the question of surgical intervention(of course this applies to cases planned operations), if you refuse vaccination or in urgent/emergency cases, we recommend injecting the animal with serum against infectious diseases, since the risk of infection in the animal in the postoperative period and in contact with other animals on the street and in the clinic increases sharply.

On the day of surgery. This is a responsible period and requires the owner to be attentive, punctual and calm. Please note the following points:

1. Don't be late for surgery.

2. Provide a telephone number where you can be found during the day or during the operation, or after its completion if you are not present at the clinic.

3. Remember that with surgical field All hair will be shaved. Therefore, if you soon want to exhibit your animal, warn about it. But remember that the health of the animal should come first for you.

4. The animal can be given a preliminary injection special drugs for decreasing side effects anesthesia and possible complications(called premedication) or adjustments to the animal's condition, and you will be asked to wait until the medicine takes effect.

When preparing the animal for surgery, we kindly ask you not to show your excitement, nervousness, anxiety, and avoid fuss - remember that the animal feels you and is influenced by your mood! In addition, it interferes with the doctor, distracting him and not allowing him to fully concentrate on his task.

After operation listen carefully to all the doctor’s comments about the progress of the operation and its result, as well as detailed instructions for further care, treatment, maintenance (including physical activity) and feeding (giving water, food, dietary aspects). Ask when there will be an improvement in the condition when a second appointment is necessary, find out the date of removal of the stitches (the cost of removal of stitches and post-operative examination should be included in the cost of the operation. Specify this). Clarify any unclear questions immediately! If necessary, if difficulties or complications arise at home, do not hesitate to consult a doctor by phone. Do not take any independent decisions and actions, if they have not been discussed and agreed upon with the doctor.

The time it takes for animals to exit general anesthesia, individually for each individual (from half an hour to several hours). They should be monitored until they fully regain consciousness and begin to walk without difficulty (if there are no pathologies that limit movement).

They must be kept under observation until they fully regain consciousness.

Transportation. Please note the following points:

The car should be warm but well ventilated.

Transport the animal in a special container.

To prevent hypothermia and postoperative shock, keep the animal on a warm bedding and cover it with a blanket (towel, diaper).

Remember that, once in a familiar environment, the animal may fall asleep deeply.

Postoperative care. Includes the following:

1. Make your animal a comfortable bed in a warm, quiet, dry place. Do not use elevated places under any circumstances to avoid the animal falling! Use baby oilcloth or absorbent diapers, because after surgery there may be involuntary urination in a dream.

When coming out of anesthesia, trembling is possible, in this case it is recommended to give a few drops of Corvalol (Valocordin) with water orally, but check with your doctor whether this is acceptable and the dose.

2. In some cases (if there is a threat of vomiting), if veterinarian did not say otherwise, after the operation, several hours later (after complete recovery from anesthesia), it is advisable to give a glucose solution in small quantities every 1 - 2 hours (1 tablespoon per 0.5 liter of water or 5-10% ready-made solution), clean water or an electrolyte solution prescribed by your veterinarian. In other cases, for example during castration/sterilization, the animal’s access to water is not initially limited, but it is better to limit access to water for 4-5 hours due to possible post-anesthesia vomiting.

3. It is advisable not to feed the animal for the first 6-8 hours after surgery, and significantly reduce the first portions of food in volume to minimize the possibility of vomiting, which often happens after anesthesia. Every three to four hours let's not a large number of easily digestible food (diet composition, therapeutic diet is discussed by the doctor!), unless, of course, the veterinarian has prohibited it, feed little by little, but often.

Perhaps the doctor will advise you to use the supplement of energy vitamin paste in the dose according to the instructions for the postoperative period for more quick recovery the animal's appetite and strength.

4. Monitor bowel movements (stool) and urination for the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery. If your animal experiences stool or urinary retention, contact your veterinarian. Be prepared to help your pet defecate and urinate after surgery by providing support.

5. Sutures are treated daily (1 or 2 times a day) until they are removed, the date of which will be determined by the doctor (from 8 to 12 days). Your doctor will select the drug or drugs for treating the suture.

6. Do not forget about hygienic treatment of the nose/nostrils, muzzle, teeth, eye area with special lotions, boiled water and/or chamomile decoction or other remedies recommended by your doctor.

7. After castration/sterilization of cats when feeding them food industrial production in 2-3 weeks. after surgery in adults or upon reaching the age of 1 year in kittens, it is possible to transfer the animal to super-premium class food for sterilized (castrated) animals with prophylaxis urolithiasis. Considering possible speed dial body weight in castrated animals, it is necessary to monitor the weight/fatness of the animal through the optimal dosage of the daily portion of food. Try to increase the animal's mobility by constantly playing with it. We recommend monitoring your weight dynamics and adjusting your diet if necessary.

Postoperative monitoring.

There are a number of situations that need to be reported to your veterinarian immediately:

1. Deep fainting. Heavy difficulty breathing.

2. Cold paw pads, pale lips and gums.

3. Within 24 hours after the operation, the animal cannot fully regain consciousness and begin to move.

Within 24 - 48 hours after surgery, the animal cannot control the movements of its limbs.

4. Constant belching and vomiting, the stomach does not hold even a small amount of water (vomiting once or twice is possible during the first hours after surgery when recovering from anesthesia, so you should not give the animal water and food at this time).

5. Bloody feces.

6. Severe swelling and redness surgical wound, bad smell. The same applies to visible parts of the body (limbs) below the places of bandaging, application plaster casts installed peripheral venous catheters.

8. Cramps.

9. Allergic reactions(rash and blisters), swelling of the mouth, muzzle and throat.

10. Removal of sutures by the animal itself.

11. Intense bleeding from the surgical wound.

Medicines. Before you leave the veterinarian, make sure that all names and doses on the prescription sheet are clear to you, and that the containers given to you with the appropriate medications are signed/labeled (antiemetics, antibiotics, etc. or the name of the drug). You can write down the names of medications, their doses and frequency of administration in your notebook/notebook; this may be useful to you later (that is, make a list of medications indicating the dose and time of administration that is understandable and convenient for you).

If the veterinarian poured the tablets/powders into a bag, then, if necessary, pour them into a clean, dry bottle and attach a label with the name of the medicine and dosage.

If you have several pets, then remember who you give what medications to.

Control of water consumption. After surgery, animals can often be dehydrated and very thirsty, but large amounts of water can cause vomiting. Remove all containers of water from the room where the animal is. Give the liquid first in small doses (of course, if there is a need for it and the doctor has not prescribed otherwise). If after two hours no vomiting appears, then the amount of water can be increased, and in the future the animal can drink as much as it wants. In some cases, there may be no restrictions on water consumption.

If the dog cannot lift its head, water can be given from a syringe without a needle.

Bandages.If an animal has a bandaged limb, the bandage must be kept clean at all times, even when the animal goes outside. To do this, put a plastic bag on top and secure it with adhesive tape. When your dog returns home, immediately remove the bag and put it away. Elastic bandages can be dangerous for animals, so never secure the bag with such a bandage, but in some cases, and only on the recommendation of a doctor, they can be used. Make sure that the bandage does not get wet. If the animal has a catheter installed in the peripheral veins (usually the paws), then monitor the skin around the catheter, and if redness, swelling, pain, leakage, or bleeding occurs, immediately inform the doctor. It is important not to allow the animal to be “interested” in this place, and to ensure that the catheter is securely bandaged or, if necessary, reinforced with a bandage over the bandage (but not tightly!).

It is necessary to draw your attention to post-operative care for cats after acute urinary retention due to urolithiasis, which were diagnosed for several days urinary catheter. Such animals must wear a protective collar! Diapers for cats (or newborns, size according to the weight of the animal, with a hole cut out for the tail) must be changed after each catheter flushing. It is necessary to rinse the catheter until a clear solution comes out of it (your doctor will show you the rinsing technique). A single dose of about 10-20 ml of solution per injection, several times, the total volume of the solution is from 50 to 300 ml (depending on the transparency of the rinsing solution after removing it from the bladder). Composition of the solution (100 ml): warm boiled water or any sterile physiological solution (sodium chloride, Ringer's) - 80 ml + 1% solution of Dioxidin (Pharmoxidin) - 20 ml. In other cases, the doctor may prescribe other rinsing solutions (Furacilin, Rivanol, Actenisept). In some cases, after rinsing with this solution, the doctor will recommend that you inject bladder 5-10 ml of KotErvina through the catheter for 30-40 minutes (after administering the drug, close the catheter with a plug; after the specified time has elapsed, it is MANDATORY to open the catheter for the free outflow of urine). The catheter is usually removed after 3-4 days. It is extremely necessary for the owner to monitor urination (when wearing a diaper, it should become heavier from the urine entering it), and if there is no such or insufficient urine output, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor!

Seams. If the sutures are applied correctly, most animals tolerate them well. Your doctor will give you recommendations for their treatment.

If the animal begins to be bothered by the stitches, then apply a bandage to the front paw to distract attention. Wear a protective collar to protect your stitches, but check with your veterinarian before doing so. With a collar, the animal cannot reach any part of the body with its teeth, but it is important to ensure that the animal does not have difficulty feeding and drinking water (periodically removing the collar to feed and water the animal under your supervision or correct installation with water and food in a shallow, small-diameter bowl that does not interfere with the consumption of their contents, and/or on a stand). Postoperative blankets and “boots” are often used to protect sutures. Some animals are uncompromising about any new “attributes” on their body, so make sure that they do not remove them or chew them; often the animal needs some time to get used to the protective devices, so be patient and in no case try to follow the animal’s lead by removing the blanket or collar before the time prescribed by the doctor, and even removing it by you a short time protective device, can contribute to animal self-injury of the surgical wound and sutures with the subsequent occurrence of complications in this area.

Owners of a furry pet, having chosen a surgical solution to the problem of reproduction, should know how to care for their cat after sterilization. A competent approach to keeping an animal after surgery will reduce rehabilitation period, will prevent the development of postoperative complications.

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Immediately after surgery

Particular attention must be paid to the operated animal in the first hours after surgical manipulation. Some veterinary clinics practice medicinal withdrawal from a narcotic sleep, and the cat is given to the owner already in the awakening phase. But more often the animal is given to the owner in a state of narcotic sleep, giving recommendations for care.

The operated pet should be transported to special carrying. The bottom must be covered with oilcloth, and a clean cloth must be placed on top. The cat should be placed on its right side and covered with a blanket or blanket.

In a state of anesthesia, the animal's pulse and breathing slow down, and its body temperature drops by several degrees. The cat becomes vulnerable to cold and drafts. If the operation is carried out in the cold season, care must be taken to warm the animal during transportation. A heating pad or bottle with warm water, applied from the cat's back. It is necessary to ensure that during movement the warm object does not move towards the surgical wound. Heat in the area may cause bleeding.

Upon arrival home, you can leave your pet in the carrier if it is spacious, or lay oilcloth and fabric on the floor for it. The animal should not be placed on a sofa, bed or other elevated surfaces.

How long a cat recovers from anesthesia after sterilization depends on a number of factors: the weight of the animal, the dosage of the drug, individual characteristics, type of anesthesia, etc. On average, awakening occurs 2 to 8 hours after the operation. During this period, the animal must be under constant supervision. When waking up from anesthesia, the cat makes unconscious movements, can jump, fall from a height, and harm itself. The chosen location must be absolutely safe.

The peculiarity of cats is that they are in a state of anesthesia with their eyes open. To prevent the cornea from drying out, close your eyelids once every half hour. Can be lightly massaged over eyelids eyeballs or use special eye drops.

While the animal is in a narcotic sleep, it cannot be fed or watered by force. If your cat sleeps for a long time, you can massage its paws to improve blood circulation.

Features of feeding and maintenance after surgery

After the animal has completely recovered from anesthesia and its movements become confident, it must be given water and offered food. From now on, water should be freely available at all times. You can feed your cat after sterilization when her appetite returns. This usually happens on the 2nd day after surgery. Sometimes a cat may vomit after eating food for the first time. These are the consequences of anesthesia. 2 - 3 days after sterilization, digestion will normalize, and the animal will return to its previous appetite.

When handing over an operated animal to its owner, veterinarians do not always pay attention to the question of what to feed a sterilized cat during the postoperative period. You should be extremely careful when it comes to feeding your furry pet during the first time after sterilization. Preliminary starvation diet, the postoperative period contributes to atony digestive system, this can lead to an undesirable phenomenon - constipation.

In order to prevent digestive disorders in the first days after surgery, the cat should be switched to specialized feed for operated animals. If the pet was kept on natural food must be included in the diet dairy products, boiled vegetables.

If signs of constipation are detected (no bowel movements for 3 days, anxiety when visiting the toilet), you can give 4 - 5 ml orally Vaseline oil. You cannot use laxatives or give an enema without a doctor’s recommendation; this can harm the cat. If the problem with bowel movement does not resolve on its own within 3 days, you should contact a veterinarian.

In many veterinary clinics It is practiced to dress the animal postoperatively. This special device made of fabric and ties prevents licking of the wound and protects against contamination. When to remove the blanket from a cat after sterilization? It all depends on the speed of healing of the surgical wound, as well as on the behavior of the animal. Most cats are indifferent to a healing wound; they require a blanket for the first 2 to 3 days. But some furry beauties show excessive attention and constantly lick themselves. In this case, it is better to leave the animal in a blanket for 10 - 14 days, until complete healing and removal of the stitches.

Postoperative suture care

During the rehabilitation period, the owner of a sterilized pet should pay close attention to the care of the surgical suture. As a rule, recommendations on how to treat a suture after sterilization of a cat are given by the veterinary specialist who operated on the animal. Many clinics practice treating the suture immediately after surgery with aluminum spray, and additional methods in this case are not needed.

If suture treatment is necessary, it begins on days 2–3 after surgery. For fast healing For wounds, a solution of brilliant green (brilliant green), chlorhexidine, betadine, chemi-spray, hydrogen peroxide, and Levomikol ointment are often used as an antiseptic. It is better to process the seam with an assistant, so the animal is less stressed and the manipulation is carried out more carefully.

In the first days after surgery, swelling of the suture is acceptable; this normal reaction tissues for surgical trauma. There may be redness of the seam, and the surrounding skin may have a glossy appearance. There may be discharge of ichor (clear liquid).

How long a cat’s suture heals after surgery depends on many factors: the qualifications of the surgeon, the individual characteristics of the animal’s regeneration, proper postoperative care, etc. On average, complete healing occurs on the 10th - 12th day after surgery. On the 5th day, when processing the seam, you need to pay attention to its condition. It should be dry, its edges should not diverge by more than 1 mm.

Not all external sutures need to be removed during sterilization. There are overlay techniques special seam absorbable material. The veterinarian who operated on the animal will tell you in detail whether and how to remove the stitches for a cat after sterilization. There is nothing complicated about this manipulation. You need to know the number of stitches, have small scissors and tweezers. Tools must be disinfected. The thread with the knot is pulled out with tweezers, and one thread is cut with scissors. And so all the seams are gradually removed. If for any reason it is not possible to remove the stitches yourself, the best option– do this at a veterinary clinic.

How long a cat recovers after sterilization depends on a number of factors:

Timeliness of the operation. If it is carried out within the time frame recommended by experts, the animal has not experienced estrus, there has been no birth or pregnancy, tissue regeneration occurs quickly.

Age of the animal. The operation of a young individual is characterized by faster rehabilitation than sterilization of a mature and elderly cat.

Surgeon's qualifications. A competently performed operation with minimal tissue trauma, correct application ligatures, neat postoperative sutures contribute to rapid granulation and wound healing.

Postoperative care. Carefully follow the recommendations of a veterinary specialist, correct actions on feeding, maintenance, care postoperative suture reduce the animal's recovery time.

Complications in the postoperative period. The presence of all kinds of health problems after sterilization significantly increases the cat’s recovery time.

Signs of postoperative complications

Unfortunately, castration does not always occur without complications. It is important to assess the condition in time and take preventive measures serious consequences for good health. The following symptoms should alert the owner of an operated animal:

drowsiness, apathy, lethargy of the cat for 5 days after surgery;

temperature above 39.50 C on the 5th day after sterilization;

the cat does not eat after sterilization for 4 - 5 days;

severe redness, swelling, bleeding, swelling of the surgical suture after the 5th day from the moment of surgical manipulation;

pain syndrome may be the reason why a sterilized cat screams.

Suture dehiscence on the 5th day after surgery

The presence of the above signs should be a reason for immediate appeal to a veterinarian.

Cat behavior after sterilization

Not all pet owners know how a cat behaves after sterilization. Many people mistakenly believe that surgery will lead to apathy. There is no doubt that the operation has a positive effect on the health in subsequent years of life and on the sexual behavior of the furry pet.

1 - 2 months after the intervention hormonal background reaches an optimal state, the level of sex hormones decreases and remains constant at a low level. From this moment on, the owner begins to notice changes in the animal’s behavior. The cat becomes affectionate, pays more attention to communication with household members, and is less secluded.

The animal is no longer tormented by sexual instincts, it is concentrated on the person, and participates with pleasure in active games. The pet is not bothered by the problems of procreation; it directs its energy to hunting instincts and games with humans.

Sterilizing a cat is one of the most common veterinary operations. Qualified veterinary care, competent postoperative care at home, implementation of recommendations for compliance rehabilitation activities, the love and care of the owner will quickly return the furry pet to an active life.

It involves the removal of the gonad through surgery. The cat becomes calmer, more balanced, and most importantly, stops marking corners in the house. What to do and how to care for your pet after such an operation? How do cats recover from surgery, when can you bathe a cat? More on this later in the article.

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The process of recovery from anesthesia

To facilitate recovery from anesthesia, the animal should be kept in darkness, silence and warmth. The furry one should lie on the floor, as it may try to escape. To irritants external environment the animal can also react, so you need to ensure complete silence in the room where your furry creature is resting. The process of recovery from anesthesia is also characterized by the fact that cats can often lie with their eyes wide open. To prevent the cornea from drying out, it is important to close your pet’s eyelids for five minutes.

Heat exchange in cats after castration is also disrupted; in normal cases, the temperature is reduced. You should focus on the temperature of your nose and ears. If they are cold, you can wrap the cat in a warm blanket or towel or place a heating pad on the back.

During the process of recovering from anesthesia, the cat may vomit. It is worth turning your pet a little so that he does not choke on vomit, while turning not only his head, but also his torso. You should definitely offer your cat something to drink; he will probably feel thirsty.

After the pet has successfully come out of the anesthesia, after a couple of hours he will want to eat. Then try feeding your baby chicken that has been boiled and finely chopped. How much does it cost to give food? You can give a teaspoon at a time, however, it is worth considering that even from such an amount the cat may vomit.

Features of pet care

An animal that has undergone surgery should never be left without observation and care. This is the only way to achieve it speedy recovery and avoid complications.

On the first day

Caring for a cat after castration is not difficult work, but, nevertheless, it is necessary to carefully monitor the well-being of the pet. On the first day after surgery, cats recover from anesthesia; as a rule, this process takes several hours. Even after this, you will still notice some effects. After the operation, during recovery from anesthesia, the cat will be lethargic, have an unsteady gait and impaired coordination of movements.

The owner must ensure that after surgery and anesthesia the furry animal breathes smoothly, and also monitor the temperature. It is necessary to place the sleeping cat on a comfortable bedding or mattress, which is placed on the floor. The litter is placed in a place where there are no drafts, not near the radiator or near the aisles. Also place your furry pet away from chairs, beds, and any furniture. When an animal recovers from anesthesia, it can easily fall and get injured.

It is necessary to care for a cat after surgery by shifting it from side to side every half hour so that the animal’s paws do not become numb and blood circulation is not impaired. You also need to listen to the breathing and touch the pet’s nose; the cat should wrinkle. The more obvious his reactions are, the faster your cat will wake up after anesthesia. It is necessary to carefully monitor that the cat, which has recovered from anesthesia, does not jump on a hill. You can sit next to the cat, talk to him, calm him down, caress him.

Further

In the postoperative period, it is necessary to do simple manipulations to care for the suture. As a rule, the wound after castration does not heal for very long: already on the second or third day. The cat will be kind and cheerful, and the seam may not even be noticeable. To prevent it from festering, it is necessary to care for the cat and pay attention to the condition of the litter box. The toilet for your pet should be rinsed with hot water after the cat goes there every time, as much as necessary.

Also, in the following days, you need to make sure that the furry one does not scratch or lick the seam, because in this way the animal will infect itself. In some cases, a special collar is put on the pet to prevent licking the wound. It is allowed to care for the wound only with the means recommended by the doctor and as many times as indicated in the instructions. Usually this is a simple brilliant green, which is not used to treat the wound itself, but only the area around it.

When can I wash it?

Bathing a cat after castration is not allowed for the next two months. However, if the animal is dirty and wet wipes do not give any results, you can try.

In this case, bathing the animal is allowed after successful surgery if there are no bleeding or other problems. So, the animal should be bathed without conditioner and shampoo after at least four to ten days from the intervention.

Video “The cat leaves after castration”

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