Surgery for the family dog can be a traumatic experience for both the animal and the owners. After the dog has been brought home and the healing process begins, there are several things an owner must watch out for to ensure no complications develop. The pet's energy level, mobility, food intake and attentiveness must be carefully controlled and watched. A careful owner can spot the signs of a problem early and potentially save the life of the family dog.
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Inattentive Behavior
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The dog's condition should be monitored very carefully after he's brought home from surgery of any kind. Prolonged drowsiness or unconsciousness for more than 24 hours after being brought home may be a sign that something has gone wrong in the dog's healing process. Contact the veterinarian or bring the animal to the nearest animal emergency care facility to be examined. These professionals will be able to determine if any serious complications have arisen from the animal's surgery.
Inability To Move Bowels/Diarrhea
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Lack of moving bowels after the first 48 hours in a postoperative dog may be a sign of intestinal blockage. Alternatively, diarrhea may also be a sign of a similar intestinal blockage, like a blood clot. Symptoms of a blood clot in the intestine may also include general muscle weakness, blood in urine and vomiting occurring two to four days after surgery. This problem is life-threatening and can destroy a dog's spleen, gallbladder and kidneys.
Pus Around Wound
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Pus or oozing of any kind around the wound as well as an unpleasant odor is a sign of an infection present in the surgical sight. This can occur if the dog is not on some postoperative antibiotic or the medication that has been prescribed isn't strong enough to fight the infection. As with other signs of postoperative distress, a veterinarian should see the dog immediately to diagnose the specific problem with the healing process and to recommend an appropriate course of treatment to halt the infection.
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