Post Cystotomy instructions for dogs and cats

Your pet has undergone surgery and is now being discharged for continued care at your home. Your job during the recovery period at home is just as important as the surgical procedure that was performed. As part of your pet's post-operative care, Sylvan Veterinary Hospital recommends you closely adhere  to the following instructions:

• Activity Restriction: Your pet needs to have their activity restricted for the following 10-14 days.  Activity restriction includes no off leash running, playing, jumping.  Time spent indoors should be restricted to crate rest and decreased activity.  If you are having a difficult time keeping your pet calm and quiet, please let us know so that the doctor may prescribe medications/mild sedatives for them. 

• E-Collar: It is also imperative that they do not lick at their incision for the following 10-14 days.  An elizabethan collar (cone, lamp shade, etc) should be applied to your pet if you find them licking at the incision.  The collar should be worn at all times when they are unsupervised to ensure they are not licking at the incision.  The incision should remain dry, so this also means that your pet should not be bathed during recovery.

• Daily Incision Monitoring: Monitor the incision for any severe redness, discharge, or swelling.  Mild swelling and redness are normal and part of the healing process.   If you notice that your pet is lethargic or inappetant, please call Sylvan Veterinary Hospital immediately. Sutures that are absorbable and  do not need removed can take up to 45 days to fully absorb, if however after 14 days they are starting to bother your pet we can remove them at any time. Following surgery, it is common for pets to urinate frequently, and blood may be present in the urine for several days. If your pet appears to be making frequent attempts to urinate but is unable to produce urine, or if they are straining, this is an emergency and you need to contact Sylvan Veterinary Hospital immediately.   

• Feeding: Whenever you get home, you should offer your pet ½ of their normal amount of food and a small amount of water. If your pet does not vomit within 30 minutes, they may have the rest of their normal meal, and dinner again that night. If they do vomit, they may just be a little nauseous from the anesthesia so do not offer any more food or water for another 2-3 hours. By the morning after surgery we expect your pet to have eaten the equivalent of one meal. You may have to entice their appetite by offering high value foods/treats (i.e. toast, cheese, hot dog, chicken) to encourage their appetite. If 24 hours after bringing your pet home from surgery they are still not eating, please contact our office.   

• Pain Control: Your pet will be sent home with any necessary medications  to help with pain and inflammation post-op. They will likely start the day following the procedure. Please refer to your pets pill vials for more detailed medication instructions.

• Stone Analysis: Your pet's urinary stones will be sent to a lab for analysis. Typically these results are returned to our clinic in 2-3 weeks. We will contact you with further recommendations after the stone analysis has been returned. The stone analysis will determine what prescription diet will be best for your pet to help prevent bladder stones from forming again in the future.

• Follow-up: Your pet's first recheck will be 10 days after finishing their antibiotics for a urine culture.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if any questions or concerns arise. Thank you for entrusting Sylvan Veterinary Hospital with your pet's care.