11/17/2025
What Do Surgical Patients Need to Heal?
Helping your pet recover smoothly after surgery starts with a few essential steps:
(1) Strict Rest Until Cleared
Keep activity to a minimum. Only allow short, leashed trips outside for bathroom breaks, then back indoors for calm, quiet rest. For cats, limiting their roam to just 1 room and removing cat trees can be helpful. More strict crate rest may be required after more complicated procedures. No running, jumping, stairs, or rough play—these can all disrupt the healing process.
(2) A Protected Incision
Use a properly fitted cone (E-collar) or surgical suit to prevent licking, chewing, or scratching at the incision. A pet's mouth or nails can delay healing, introduce infection, or reopen the incision. A donut (as shown) is only useful for incisions high up on body, such as the chest. It may also be necessary to separate housemates to prevent them from investigating an incision.
(3) Attentive Monitoring
Watch for any signs of discomfort, swelling, redness, odor, incision opening, or discharge (especially pus). If something doesn’t look right, or if your pet seems more painful than expected, reach out to our team. Early intervention can prevent complications.
Your pet will be most calm healing in the comfort of your home — and we’re here to support every step of the way.
If you have any questions or concerns during recovery, please contact us!
Text or call: 610-983-8381
Email: info@uvpp.vet