Before & After Surgery

SURGERY-RELATED EMERGENCIES:

Call (931) 542-2282 during office hours (Mon-Fri 9am-2pm). 

Email photos: fixmypet@clarksvillehumanesociety.org

After Hours, call or text photos: (931) 257-4631

Drop off time is 7:30am

Surgeries are scheduled by appointment only. Online booking is preferred & will take less than 2 minutes of your time. If you need assistance, call or leave a message at 931-542-2282.  If you are later than 7:45 am, you may be asked to reschedule to a different day. (NOTE: If you need an appointment sooner than our online calendar provides, we recommend that you check your emails often. We will send mass emails when new surgery dates are added to offer sooner opportunities. Those slots are first come first serve based to those who respond to the email.

Preparing your animal for surgery:

  • All animals should be kept indoors the evening before surgery.
  • Cats should have access to a litter box before and after surgery.
  • Dogs should have potty breaks before heading to the clinic.
  • No food for pets 6 months & older after midnight the night before surgery. Puppies & kittens less than 6 months old can have access to food up until 2 hours prior to drop-off time.
  • All pets can have water up until the time of their appointment.

Upon arrival:

  • A DRIVE-THRU DROP OFF will be in place to keep our small-but-mighty staff healthy. When our staff is healthy, our door stays open!
  • We will confirm all services with you before bringing your pet inside the building.
  • Payment is collected the morning of surgery, or we can send an online payment link to be paid prior to pick up that afternoon.
  • Cats must be in their own separate carriers for their safety. Cardboard carriers are sold for $5 if you need an extra one.

Pick up time is at 4:00pm!

Any animal not picked up by 4:30pm will incur a $35 late fee per animal and an additional $35 per 30 minutes thereafter. We are not insured to house animals overnight. All pets must be picked up same day.

POST-SURGERY CARE INSTRUCTIONS

(Your pet just had surgery… for their safety, PLEASE read & keep these instructions handy for 2-3 weeks!) 

  • The animal’s activity must be restricted for the next 10-14 days to allow the tissue time to heal and to avoid causing the incision to open. Cats should stay indoors. All dogs should go out to potty on a leash and then return inside to rest. Keep the incision site dry; do not bathe or apply topical ointment during the recovery period. Female dogs with mammary development may require patting the incision very gently with a soft, dry cloth a couple of times a day to prevent the area from becoming too moist.
  • Keep all newly fixed females away from unfixed males for 30 days as they may still attempt to mate, which could be life threatening or cause internal damage. Additionally, it is recommended that all pets be kept separated or closely supervised during the 10-14 day recovery period to help reduce overactivity and to protect the surgery site from being licked or scratched by other pets in the home.
  • Check the incision site twice daily. Dogs and female cats should have no drainage. Redness and swelling should be minimal. The incision for male cats is directly on the scrotum and is left open to allow for drainage. Small amounts of drainage/discharge is normal for up to 3 days. Too much activity causes increased drainage, so activity restriction is very important. Do not allow the animal to lick or chew at the incision. All sutures are dissolvable, so if licking occurs the sutures will dissolve faster than we need them to. If licking occurs, an E-collar (cone of shame) MUST be worn to prevent additional licking/chewing that could cause infection or cause additional harm to the area.
  • Minimal redness and swelling of the surgery site should resolve within a few days, but if it persists longer, please call our office. If no one answers, leave a voicemail so we can return your call as quickly as possible. Photos of your pet’s incision can also be helpful to pass along to our medical staff for review.
  • IMPORTANT: If any of the following is noted, contact us, or a designated emergency veterinary clinic (Nashville Veterinary Specialists at 615-386-0107 or Blue Pearl at 615-333-1212) if unable to reach us, immediately if you notice any of the following: pale gums; depression; unsteady gait; loss of appetite or decreased water intake; vomiting; diarrhea; discharge or bleeding from the incision; difficulty urinating or defecating; or labored breathing. Do not give human medication to animal as this could be dangerous and possibly fatal.
  • Appetite should return gradually within 24 hours of surgery. Do not change the animal’s diet during this time, and do not give them junk food, table scraps, milk, or any other people food during the recovery period. Feeding them their regular diet will help avoid gastro-intestinal upset.
  • If the animal received a vaccine at our clinic other than rabies, please discuss a “booster” vaccine with your regular veterinarian. Canine distemper/parvo vaccine, feline leukemia vaccine, and feline distemper vaccine all need to be “boostered” three to four weeks after administration of the first vaccine for maximum effectiveness.
  • If the above post-operative instructions are followed in full, we will make every reasonable effort to treat AT OUR CLINIC, at minimal cost, any post-operative complications resulting directly from the surgery. Your regular veterinarian must address illnesses or injuries that are not a direct result of surgery. Please email or call us for an appointment as soon as you see any cause for concern.

E-COLLARS:

E-collars are just $5 at our clinic and will prevent your dog from self-traumatizing and/or infecting their surgery site. They are bulky – and some dogs are somewhat distressed when initially wearing them – however, this is usually very temporary, and most pets quickly learn to tolerate them. Your pet should have no trouble eating or drinking while wearing an E-collar, but if you observe them having difficulty doing so, you may remove it temporarily – you must, however, provide 100% supervision during this time. Your dog should not be allowed to lick or otherwise rub at the surgery site and must wear the E-collar for 10-14 days. Cats usually do fine without an e-collar, but if you find yours to be an exception just let us know!

PAIN MEDICATION (Meloxicam):

Your pet has been prescribed oral Meloxicam, which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It will provide pain control and help to decrease swelling.

  • Please follow all label directions and give the medication with a meal.
  • Do not give this medication if your pet is already on an NSAID or any form of steroid.
  • Possible side effects include loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, dark stools, and/or decreased activity. • If you see any of these side effects, stop giving the medication and contact us.

SEDATIVE (Trazodone):

If your dog is very high energy, he or she may have received a prescription for Trazodone, which is an optional medication to be used only as needed to help facilitate post-surgical confinement.

  • Please follow all label directions!
  • Check with your regular vet before combining with other serotonergic agents and/or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI)
  • Possible side effects include: sedation, impaired coordination, agitation, change in appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. We have provided a safe, middle-of-the-road dosage for your pet, but Trazodone effects each dog differently. Contact us if you feel like an adjustment is needed.

REST:

Your pet should be on strict rest for 10-14 days. No running, jumping, or rough playing. Only short, leashed walks for dogs while they urinate or defecate. We recommend keeping pets confined to a small room or a kennel to help restrict activity. If using a small room or kennel, your pet may initially need to be supervised to ensure their safety.

FELINE UPPER RESPIRATORY (“Cold”) SIGNS:

It is not uncommon for cats to break with a cold after undergoing surgery, moving to a new home, or being in a shelter or outdoors.  Changes in a cat’s surrounding including new food, people, sights, sounds, and smells can be stressful and can compromise the immune system enough to cause cold-like signs, which may include frequent sneezing and clear discharge from the eyes. A cold is almost always VIRAL in origin and will resolve WITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS with good nutrition and a loving, quiet, low-stress environment.

Sometimes a secondary bacterial infection could develop, which then requires treatment with prescription medicine.  Signs to look for include thick yellowish to greenish discharge from the nose and/or eyes, squinty eyes, a fever, and refusal to eat for more than 24 hours.  If you notice these symptoms, please contact your regular veterinarian for follow-up treatment.

QUESTIONS?

(931) 542-2282 (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm)

(931) 257-4631 (after hours)

fixmypet@clarksvillehumanesociety.org