Post-operative care and recovery
Supervised recovery in a heated kennel, monitoring of temperature and of pain using a scale, the first feed, and discharge with written instructions. Care from the moment the gas anaesthetic is switched off until the animal is handed back to the owner.
What it involves
Recovery is the most vulnerable stage of the whole procedure — statistically, more complications occur in the first hours after anaesthesia than during it. That is why, after a procedure, the patient does not go "into a cage to wake up" but into a heated hospital cage under observation: we monitor temperature (which always drops after anaesthesia), breathing, gum colour, pulse and — once the patient is conscious — pain using a pain scoring scale.
Post-operative care also covers everything that happens between waking up and discharge: removing the endotracheal tube at the right moment, intravenous fluids until the patient starts drinking, the first water and a light meal, a dressing or protective clothing, checking that the dog or cat has passed urine, and, in cats, whether they have come out of the period of agitation that some medications cause. Everything is recorded on the observation chart.
The handover to the owner follows standard STD-06: written discharge notes with a description of the procedure, a list of medication with times, instructions on the wound and movement, and a clear list of symptoms that mean you should call.
When it is used
Post-operative care is part of every procedure under general anaesthesia and deeper sedation carried out here — from neutering to orthopaedic surgery. Its length depends on the procedure: after minor procedures, 2–4 hours until discharge; after major abdominal or orthopaedic surgery, a stay until the evening or overnight hospitalisation, arranged as the lead veterinarian decides.
Indications: symptoms that should prompt a visit
- Your dog or cat has just had a procedure under anaesthesia and needs a safe recovery.
- The animal is cold after surgery, shivering and unable to warm up.
- A cat after anaesthesia is thrashing about, vocalising and does not recognise its surroundings — post-operative agitation.
- A dog after a procedure is panting, has dilated pupils and cannot settle — a sign of pain that needs additional medication.
- The patient has not passed urine for several hours after surgery, or is vomiting.
- The surgical wound is bleeding or the patient is trying to lick it.
Conditions for which we use it in particular
Diagnostics beforehand
The basis is the anaesthetic record from the whole procedure (STD-02): we know which medications were given and at what time, how blood pressure and temperature behaved, and how much fluid the patient received. On that basis we predict when the patient should wake up and when to give the next dose of pain relief. After major procedures, or in patients who lost blood during surgery, we repeat the blood count and electrolytes in our laboratory, and in cardiac patients we monitor the ECG until they are fully awake.
How it proceeds
After the gas is switched off, the patient breathes oxygen until the swallowing reflex returns — then we remove the endotracheal tube (as late as possible in brachycephalic breeds). We move the patient to a heated cage, lay them on their side on soft bedding, with a cannula and a drip. We measure temperature every 15–30 minutes until it reaches 37,5 °C; we assess pain on a scale every 1–2 hours and document it.
When the patient lifts their head and lies steadily on their chest, we offer water, and after 2–3 hours a light meal. Dogs are taken outside; cats are given a litter tray. We check the wound, fit a collar or protective clothing, and remove the cannula just before discharge. Throughout, the patient is observed by a member of the team who knows the chart and knows which values are alarming.
At discharge, the vet or technician goes through the discharge notes with the owner point by point, shows the wound, demonstrates how to give the medication and sets the date of the check-up. If the patient's condition does not allow discharge during opening hours, the lead veterinarian decides on a form of overnight supervision — individually, depending on what the patient needs.
Aftercare
The first day at home: a warm, quiet place on the floor (no stairs or jumping onto furniture), water within reach, a small meal in the evening. Drowsiness, an unsteady gait and no appetite for a dozen or so hours are normal; vomiting once is too — repeated vomiting is not. The collar is worn continuously, including at night; most wounds are licked precisely when the collar has been taken off "just for a moment".
Call if the wound bleeds, its edges are coming apart, swelling or discharge appears, the animal has not passed urine for 24 hours, has pale or bluish gums, is breathing with effort, vomits repeatedly, or is clearly in distress despite medication. Check-up after 2–3 days and suture removal after 10 days.
Frequently asked questions
When can I collect my animal?
After minor procedures, usually 2–4 hours after they finish; after major operations, in the afternoon or the next day. We will phone you when the patient is stable, walking and has a pain score within the normal range.
My cat is behaving strangely after anaesthesia — meowing, swaying, staring into space. Is that normal?
In the first hours, yes — it is the effect of the medication. Provide quiet and a dimmed room, and do not pull the cat out of its hiding place. If it lasts more than 24 hours, call us.
Can the animal spend the night after surgery with you?
It depends on the procedure and the patient's condition. We do not have a regular overnight on-call service — the lead veterinarian decides whether the patient can go home, stay with us under an agreed form of supervision, or needs a 24-hour animal hospital.
Can I take the collar off for eating?
Yes, for the duration of the meal, under supervision. Put it back on straight afterwards — licking the wound is the most common cause of complications.
We manage every case individually. The scope, indications and course described above are indicative; we agree the exact diagnostic and treatment plan during the consultation. This content is for information only and does not replace a veterinary consultation.
Have questions about post-operative care and recovery?
Call us or book a consultation. We will set out the diagnostic and treatment plan in writing, before you decide.