"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." — Benjamin FranklinThis quote resonates deeply with me, as I've witnessed firsthand the benefits of preparation and having an action plan in various aspects of life. Today, I want to share how being prepared positively impacted my dog Fifty’s recovery from a recent surgery. It can be incredibly stressful when our dogs are unwell or need a medical procedure. I hope these 10 tips will help alleviate some of that stress and support your dog's recovery journey. By the way, did you read our March blog on the importance of yearly wellness exams with your primary care veterinarian? If you missed it, you can check it out here. Let's dive in. During Fifty's routine wellness exam in March, I mentioned to my vet that I had found a small lump on his right shoulder, about the size of a pea. It didn’t look concerning, but my vet performed a fine needle aspirate to identify it. The test results were normal, so we proceeded with his scheduled dental cleaning and removal of this lump two weeks later. However, hindsight is 20/20. The possibility of cancer never crossed our minds. The lump was small, not infected or red, and easily movable. Fifty seemed in perfect health and only 8 years young. Despite the normal aspirate results, the pathology report a week after surgery revealed it was a grade 2 soft tissue sarcoma (STS), a locally aggressive tumour. Immediate follow-up with an oncologist confirmed that a second, more aggressive surgery was necessary to achieve clean tissue margins (which we did not obtain during the first surgery) and reduce the recurrence risk to just 5-10%. Preparing for Fifty’s major second operation involved careful planning. Here are some essential items that helped my boy during his recovery and can significantly impact your dog's recovery and pain management: 1. Post-Op Suit or Jammies  A post-op suit protects the incision and minimizes the need for an uncomfortable cone. Make sure your dog is comfortable with wearing it before surgery. Although many may laugh and think it’s cute when I introduce my puppies to clothing at a young age, especially a sheltie, it serves multiple purposes and helps prepare them for potentially needing clothes should a situation like this arise! I should note not all jammies are effective at keeping your dog from licking or bugging at their incision. Had Fifty really wanted to lick his incision, well, a small piece of cotton clothing likely wouldn’t deter him - he's a dog after all! Your dog should always be supervised to ensure they can’t access and lick their incision, as this can cause post-op complications (e.g. removal of sutures, infection, etc.). 2. Donut Collar  A donut collar can be a great alternative to the traditional cone. It prevents your dog from reaching the incision site while offering comfort and allowing a full field of vision. Depending on the incision location, it might be the perfect solution for your dog. Before surgery, check to see if this is a feasible option for your dog. For some dogs, depending on their structure (e.g. neck length), flexibility, and the location of the incision, they may still be able to reach the incision even with the donut on! For us, the donut was ideal. It provided not only a comfy pillow for Fifty to lie on but also 100% peace of mind that he could not get at his incision if he wasn’t with me. 3. Ice Pack  Inflammation is normal during the healing process after surgery. Soft gel ice packs conform better to your dog’s body and can be used for 10 minutes, three times a day for the first 7-10 days, to help reduce pain and swelling. Check out this blog that I wrote on icing injuries 4. Traumacare Liquid and Gel This homeopathic preparation relieves muscle and joint pain, inflammation, bruising, and general pain. It comes in liquid and gel form. Speaking from personal experience, this combo is quite effective at reducing bruising and pain! I don't recommend applying the gel directly onto your dog's incision, but rather, to the area around it to help reduce bruising. The liquid drops, which can be diluted in water, can benefit your dog's entire system. Given the significance of Fifty’s bruising around the incision, the gel helped reduce the bruising postoperatively in the first couple of weeks. 5. PEMF – Bioelectronics PEMF Loop  Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF) can significantly aid your dog's recovery. These devices, available from certain health practitioners, can be used locally around the incision or attached to the collar to stimulate systemic healing. Some of its benefits include:
With any cancer diagnosis, please consult your healthcare professional regarding the proper placement of the loop. Instead of putting the loop locally to Fifty's shoulder, I used the loop around his neck to stimulate the vagus nerve for a more systemic effect. NOTE: Laser therapy and PEMF technology are contraindicated directly on the site known to have cancer. 6. Arnica Arnica is a popular homeopathic ointment for treating muscle and joint pain, inflammation, and bruising in humans and some animals. It is not applied directly to the area but something they can inject orally with their food. Warning: Arnica has many positive benefits when used properly, but whole herb arnica can be toxic if ingested, so you need to be careful when using it and get the correct dosing. 7. Beef Broth Keeping your dog hydrated post-operatively is important to their healing and function. My shelties are not big water drinkers, and this, combined with the sedation from his post-operative medications, meant I would have to be creative to keep Fifty hydrated! Beef broth is fantastic to have on hand and flavours the water to make it more enticing. Be sure to select one with low sodium! In addition to adding water to Fifty’s raw meals, I gave him a 100ml bowl of water 3-4 times a day with ½ tablespoon of beef broth to encourage drinking. Worked like a charm! 8. Heating Pad or Microwavable Bag Either option can provide extra comfort if your dog feels cold, as their body temperature can decrease during and after surgery. WARNING: Don’t place the pad or bag directly ON your dog's body; instead, wrap it in a tea towel or thin blanket before placing it on your dog. 9. X-Pen or Crate Providing a calm, secure, enclosed space away from other pets can encourage rest and recovery. An x-pen may not be ideal for all dogs, especially those that might jump out of it, so please keep this in mind. If you're using a crate, ensure your dog has enough room to stand up, turn around and get comfy. Rest is vital during recovery for internal healing and wound protection. We want to limit physical activity to protect the incision and not cause further damage. 10. Fiber Some post-operative medications can cause constipation. Adding fiber-rich foods like broccoli, kale, sweet potato, apples, and pumpkin can help keep your dog regular. Remember, just like people, each dog is unique and may have different needs and requirements after any surgery. What works for one dog may not work for another one. As always, my best advice is to consult with your dog's health care professional (whether that's your vet, canine physio, vet technician, chiro, etc.) to identify the best action plan for your dog's surgical recovery. By being prepared with these 10 items I’ve been able to focus on Fifty’s recovery, rather than scrambling at the last minute over things that CAN be controlled ahead of time. If you have any other tips that have worked for you and your dogs, post them in the comments section below!
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6/7/2024 12:41:15 pm
Hi 6/7/2024 02:15:31 pm
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AuthorCarolyn McIntyre Archives
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