Sterilization of the animal is only half the battle. Very important the postoperative period, so cat owners must know the rules of pet care at this time. Thanks to competent approach to the contents of the cat after surgery, the rehabilitation period reduces significantly and prevented the development of complications. Consider in more detail how to care for a cat after sterilization.
Care immediately after surgery
Very important the first hours after surgery. Some veterinary hospitals practice medical withdrawal from drugs sleep and give the cat owner when she begins to awaken. But usually the owner give the pet when he is still under anesthesia, and give the necessary recommendations for care.
Transporterowych operated animal in a special carry, the bottom of which is made with oilcloth and put on top of a clean cloth. The cat is placed on the right side to reduce the load on the heart and covered with a blanket. The animal is under anesthesia, slows breathing and pulse, and body temperature may drop by several degrees. Pet becomes vulnerable to drafts and cold.
If surgical manipulation was performed in the cold season, you should ensure that the animal was warm during transportation. You can use a heating pad, that is applied on the back. You need to ensure that when moving, the bottle moves to the surgical wound, as heat may cause bleeding. When the animal is brought home, you can leave it to carry or lay on the floor cloth or oilcloth. You can’t put a pet on a bed, sofa and other hills.
How long the cat will move away from the anesthesia, depends on various factors:
- weight;
- the dosage of the drug;
- the type of anesthesia;
- individual characteristics, etc.
On average, the animal is awakened through 2-8 hours after surgery. At this time you need to constantly watch him, because when awakening from anesthesia, the pet can jump, perform unconscious movements and is able to harm yourself. Also he is not able to control their physiological needs in the evacuation of rectum and bladder. May be vomiting or tremors throughout the body.
Cat in a state of anesthesia is usually with my eyes open. To the cornea of the eye does not dry up, you need to periodically shut my eyes. You can also lightly massage the eyelids eyeballs, or drip artificial tears. While the animal is under anesthesia, it is forced to eat and drink. If it sleeps too long, then you can massage the legs to improve blood supply.
Features feeding
When the anesthesia is fully gone then the movement of the cats are confident and you can offer her to eat and drink. The appetite of the animal appears usually on the second day after surgery. Sometimes it can throw up after the first eating, which is a consequence of the anesthesia. Digestion the cat normalizes in 2-3 days and returns to the same appetite.
Caring for a cat after sterilization involves proper nutrition. This is the first time, should be treated very carefully, as due to a starvation diet before surgery, constipation may occur. Feed the cat follows the special food, definitely including diet boiled vegetables and dairy products. If you suspect constipation you should give your pet mineral oil (4-5 ml). Not without the advice of a doctor to put an enema and to use a laxative, as this can harm the animal.
The blanket (band)
Many veterinarians are practicing dressing up for cats postoperative blankets. This arrangement of fabric and strings protects from dirt and prevents licking wounds. When it can be removed? It depends on how fast healing of postoperative wound. Usually cats with indifference are healing the wound, so the blanket will be required only in the first 2-3 days. But some Pets are constantly striving himself to lick. In this case, the protective bandage should be left for 10-14 days, until the seam is fully healed.
Care of postoperative suture
Caring for a cat after sterilization involves the treatment of joints. The seam must be clean and dry. Any festering, bloody soaking or inflammation is the reason for going to the vet.
The seam quickly healed, it should be treated with the following drugs:
- ointment Levomekol;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- Betadine;
- Chlorhexidine;
- Zelenka.
In the first days after surgery there may be swelling of the joint. This is a normal reaction of tissues to injury. Sometimes redness suture, and the skin around it gets a glossy look. May appear pus (transparent liquid). On average, the seam is completely healed on 10-12th day after the operation.
Joints in cats should be removed at 7-10 days because of the threads then begin to grow into the skin. This can be done in the veterinary hospitals or independently. Nothing complicated about it. It is necessary to take tweezers and small scissors. Tools are disinfected after which tweezers you can pull the thread with a knot and a pair of scissors to cut one thread. Thus gradually remove all the seams.
Factors influencing postoperative recovery
Restoration of the cat after sterilization depends on the following factors:
- The timeliness of surgery. If it was carried out within the doctor’s time, the cat had not experienced the heat, she was not pregnancy and childbirth, the tissue regeneration is much faster.
- The age of the pet. The younger the animal, the faster it recovers.
- The qualification of the surgeon. If the doctor competently carried out the operation with minimum trauma to the tissues, properly imposed ligatures, the wound heals much faster.
- Post-operative care. Carefully following all the advice of a doctor, taking care of the seam, making the right actions for keeping and feeding, reduced recovery time cats.
- Complications. If after the surgery there were complications, it contributes to a significant increase in recovery time cats.
Postoperative complications
Not always a period after the operation is proceeding smoothly.
Sometimes you may experience the following complications:
- Long post anesthetic hypothermia. If the cat has lies motionless, paws and ears are cold to the touch, you should measure the temperature of her body. If it is below 37 degrees, then the cat should be put on a warm heating pad, cover with a cloth and seek medical attention.
- Intra-abdominal bleeding. If the vulva or in the seam area there were traces of fresh blood, there was a pallor and a distinct soreness of the abdomen, the animal we need to take the vet to stop likely bleeding in the abdominal cavity. Upon confirmation of internal bleeding, a second surgery.
- Postoperative hyperthermia. If the animal longer than three days keeps the body temperature above 39 degrees, then you need to consult a doctor.
- Swelling and redness of the joint. This condition is allowed within 3-5 days provided that the wound is not oozing. If it lasts longer, requires the consultation of a veterinarian.
- The decay of the seam. If the seam is bad to look after, he may begin to rot due to the ingress of dirt. The animal should be taken to a doctor. If the prescribed remedies for the local treatment will not help to eliminate such a problem, then the vet will have to remove the stitches, remove the damaged areas of the skin under General anesthesia and re-suturing.
- A bump in the seam area. This could be postoperative swelling, which will open, or the growth of granulation tissue, passing on their own.
The behavior of the cat after sterilization
Operation positive impact on the health of the cats in the later years of life, and sexual behavior. In a month or two hormonal balance of the animal becomes normal, the level of sex hormones decreases, and it remains constantly low. Since then, the behavior of cats after sterilization is beginning to change. It becomes affectionate, spends a lot of time with family and less secluded.
Sexual instincts no longer plagued by the animal, it begins to concentrate on the person and take pleasure in taking part in active games. All of your energy cat directs the game with a man and hunting instincts.
Thus, if the cat had to be sterilized, then it is necessary to exercise care in the postoperative period. What you need to do is to tell the veterinarian and these recommendations should be strictly adhered to. At emergence of various complications need to consult with a specialist.
