Pre/Post Operative Instructions

Pre-operative care instructions:

Pets over four months of age should be fed dinner the night before surgery but must not eat breakfast the morning of surgery. Pets over four months of age must not eat after midnight, but water should be available and not restricted. Pets under four months of age should be fed breakfast the morning of surgery.

Post- operative care instructions:

7-10 days following your pet's surgery, keep your pet indoors or in a quiet, dry, warm place. You should try to restrain them from excessive running and jumping. This may be difficult; however, please try to monitor activity as much as possible. Do not allow your pet to go swimming or be bathed during this period. Your pet has received an injection of a pain medication. DO NOT give any medication (prescription or over the counter) that is not specifically prescribed to your pet. Human pain medications (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, etc.) can cause serious illness which may be fatal to your pet. Generally, your pet does not need more than has already been given. If you feel that your pet is in pain, please consult with your regular veterinarian to determine if they need more pain medication. Male animals can still produce viable sperm for up to the next four weeks. They should be kept away from any un-spayed females so they will not produce offspring. All female animals should be kept away from intact males for at least two weeks to prevent injury from attempted breeding.

Feeding:

You may offer your pet about 1/4 to 1/2 of their normal diet the evening of their surgery as long as they are awake and alert. Dogs should be given small amounts of water at a time. This is due to the fact that dogs have a habit of gulping down their water and we do not want them to drink too much at one time causing vomiting. Cats can have their normal amount of water. If your pet is still groggy, withhold food and water until tomorrow. Your pet may choose not to eat which is normal because they may have nausea caused by the anesthesia. Their appetite should return to normal within two days. Do not change your pet's diet or offer table scraps, milk, etc. as doing so could cause gastrointestinal upset.

Monitor the incision area:

Please check your pet's incision area twice daily. Mild redness and swelling can be part of the normal healing process. You will notice green ink on the incision area of your pet which is a permanent tattoo indicating that your pet has been sterilized. Male cats also have a small area shaved around their navel area, where a tattoo has been placed as well. Neutered male cats can be mistaken for females, and this is an additional way of showing that they have been altered. Excessive swelling or drainage is not normal. You should contact either Mid-South Spay & Neuter Services or your regular veterinarian to determine treatment. Opening of the incision or excessive bleeding is considered an emergency. You should seek immediate veterinary attention.

Your pet's incision area is held together with tissue glue that will dissolve in 1-2 weeks. If the glue gets wet, it dissolves too quickly. Keep the area dry, and do not allow your pet to lick the incision. Do not bathe your pet for 7-10 days, and do not let them lay in water or mud. If your pet does try to lick or chew the incision, an E-collar should be used and left on until the incision is completely healed. Licking, bathing, swimming, or lying in water or mud can result in infection of the incision.

Monitor Behavior:

Persistent appetite loss, vomiting, or diarrhea of more than 2 days is not normal. Contact either Mid-South Spay & Neuter Services or your regular veterinarian. Extreme depression or lethargy or unresponsiveness by your pet is an emergency- Please seek immediate medical attention.

Contacts:

Mid-South Spay & Neuter Services (901)324-3202

Animal Emergency Center on Summer Ave (901)323-4563

PetMed Emergency Center on Germantown Pkwy (901)624-9002

Mid-South Spay & Neuter Services is not a full service veterinary clinic. We are equipped to perform sterilization surgeries and not to diagnose or treat illness. We do not provide diagnosis or treatment for other illness or injuries of your pet. If during the abbreviated physical exam performed on your pet we encounter a problem, we will bring it to your attention and, if necessary, recommend that you see your regular vet for a full exam and treatment. Please notify us with any post-operative concerns that you may have. We will advise you on the most appropriate course of action.

FERAL CAT POST-OPERATIVE CARE INSTRUCTIONS

These post-operative instructions apply only to feral cats and should not be applied to pet cats for any reason.

Today your feral cat was spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies, and his/her left ear was tipped straight across. The Mid-South Spay & Neuter Services' veterinarians also made every effort to treat cats that have other injuries as noted during the procedure (ex. wounds are clipped and cleaned).

Leave male and female cats in the same carrier/trap you pick them up in at our clinic. Keep the doors/gates firmly closed and locked. Do not transfer the cat from the trap. Allow the cat to remain in the trap until fully recovered and ready to release. All cats should be kept 24-48 hours in a temperature-controlled area. A garage may work if the weather is mild (not too cold or hot). Cover trap loosely with a large towel/sheet for shelter and warmth. Make sure to leave some space through which the cat can get fresh air. Throughout the evening, monitor the cat for breathing and possible bleeding. Do NOT stick your finger through the trap or try to touch or handle the cat. Feral cats are not vicious, but they are recovering from anesthesia and are not accustomed to people, noises, their environment, etc. You could be seriously injured by a scared cat if it bites or scratches you. ALWAYS wear sturdy, protective leather gloves if you feel that you must handle the cat. All animal bites are serious! If you are bitten seek medical attention and do NOT release the cat. The cat must be quarantined. Contact your veterinarian for quarantine instructions.

FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS

You may offer the cat water and 1/4-1/2 amount of a regular diet the evening of surgery as long as they are awake/alert. If the cat is still sedated/groggy, withhold food and water until alert. The cat may choose not to eat tonight due to post-operative nausea or being nervous in their surroundings. Do not offer them table scraps, milk, etc. Most traps have a plastic feeding dish that may be attached inside; water and food can be placed in the trap without having to open the trap. Do not over feed or over water the cat as this may cause vomiting.

CLEANING THE CAT'S WASTE

Place newspapers or plastic on the floor UNDER the trap to catch urine, feces, and food that may fall from the trap. The trap may be carefully placed on bricks or suitable objects to be elevated from the floor so that the cat is not lying in its own waste. It is very important, if you elevate the trap, to use good judgment so that it does not topple over when the cat moves around.

MONITORING

Incision Area: A small amount of redness and swelling is normal. Excessive swelling or drainage is not normal; you should contact either the Mid-South Spay & Neuter Services or your regular veterinarian to determine treatment. Opening of the incision or excessive bleeding is considered an emergency; you should seek immediate veterinary attention. Feral cats often pant, vocalize, roll, and may even beat their face on the trap; this is not an emergency and can be 'normal' feral cat behavior when they are confined. Fresh, red blood coming from the rectum of males and abdomen of females is an emergency.

Ear Tip-Occasionally, the left ear may bleed after being tipped. This bleeding should not persist.

Contacts:

Mid-South Spay&Neuter Services (901)324-3202

Animal Emergency Center on Summer Ave (901)323-4563

PetMed Emergency Center on Germantown Pkwy (901)624-9002

RELEASING THE CAT

Once the cat is alert, clear-eyed, and shows no signs of illness he/she may be released. Only released cats that are fully awake! Male cats can often be released the morning after surgery; female cats may need to be kept for an additional day. Keeping/confining a feral cat longer than 48 hours creates increasing stress for the cat which will prevent proper healing of the surgery site. However, if bad weather or extreme temperatures are present, use good judgment to weigh the risks/benefits of keeping the cat for another day. Always release the cat where it was trapped. Relocating cats is strongly discouraged due to reports of high mortality. Cats released in a new place will not know where food, water, shelter, or area predators are. When releasing the cat, remove the cloth cover, open trap gate, and back away. Patiently stand back and allow the cat to leave at its own pace, usually it will run away immediately. Leave fresh food and water at the drop site.

Treatment Explanations

DEWORMING

The feral cat was dewormed for roundworms and hookworms.

FLEA/TICK TREATMENT

Frontline Plus topical treatment was applied to your the feral cat. This will give them coverage for one month.

EAR MITE TREATMENT

If your pet had ear mites, it was treated with a topical medication to treat the condition.

TAPEWORM TREATMENT

If the feral cat pet had visible tapeworms today, it was treated with an injectable medication to treat the infestation.

Mid-South Spay & Neuter Services is not a full-service veterinary clinic. We are equipped to perform sterilization surgeries and not to diagnose/treat illness. We do not provide diagnosis/treatment for other illnesses or injuries of any animal. Please notify us with any post-operative concerns that you may have, we will advise you on the most appropriate course of action.

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Pre/Post Operative Instructions

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