Post Surgical Wound Care for Pets
Tips for Cleaning and Monitoring a Pet’s Stitches and Incision
May 22, 2008
Caring for a pet following a surgical procedure can be a nerve-wracking experience, but understanding how to properly care for an incision can ensure a quick, smooth healing process for both owner and pet. Flushing, disinfecting and keeping the wound site clean are the keys to a fast recovery.
“Following a procedure, it’s important to remember that you should be seeing steady improvement, whether it’s while the animal is recovering from anesthesia, or during the healing process. If you’re not seeing improvement, then this is a sign of a problem,” explained Dr. Michael Levine, DVM.
Caring for the surgical site or incision is a key component of a successful recovery. Sutures or “stitches” are a common method of incision closure. Staples are also used in some cases.
Stitches typically remain in place for ten to fourteen days before they require removal. In many cases, several layers of stitches are utilized to ensure proper closure of the wound, although dissolvable sutures are used below the surface of the skin and therefore, do not require removal.
Twice a day, the incision must be cleaned to ensure proper healing. Antibacterial soap like Dial can be used to gently cleanse the area, which should then be flushed with warm water for a period of sixty seconds. Betadine can then be poured over or dabbed onto the site with a sterile gauze pad. Allow the betadine to air dry completely. A dab of antibiotic ointment can be utilized on the site for a day or two following the procedure.
In most cases, the wound site must be left uncovered, without a bandage to ensure proper healing. In the absence of proper airflow, anaerobic bacteria can grow, ultimately leading to infection.
Photographing the surgical site on a daily basis can help owners monitor healing, as relying on memory is ineffective since gradual progress can be difficult to detect.
The surgical site should be monitored several times a day, particularly after physical activity. Examine the incision for signs of an infection or injury. Symptoms of a problem include bleeding, excessive swelling and redness, odor, and excessive drainage. Other signs of a problem include a gap forming between the edges of the incision.
Some drainage and crusting at the incision site is to be expected, as is some swelling and redness, but there should be steady improvement. If the incision site fails to improve or worsens in appearance, this can indicate an infection or other abnormalities that require veterinary attention.
Limiting activity is another key component of recovery following a surgical procedure, so pet owners should limit activities for a period of two weeks.
“With many procedures, we’re cutting through structures like skin, muscles, and blood vessels. Movement is going to interfere with the natural healing process, so limiting activities is key,” Dr. Levine explained.
Activities like running and jumping should be avoided, and cage rest can help prevent injury while the pet is unsupervised. Access to stairs and furniture should also be limited, to help prevent jumping and falls.
Pets should also be monitored to ensure that there is no licking or biting at the incision site. Early in the healing process, the incision is often tender and painful, but after several days, healing begins and this can be associated with sensations of itching, which triggers biting and licking at the site. To help ease some of the itching that occurs late in the healing process, hydrocortisone cream (available over the counter) can be applied to the area.
Some pets will require an Elizabethan collar, also known as an “e-collar” or “lampshade.” This collar will limit access to the incision site to avoid contamination that can lead to infection or damage to the sutures.
Dr. Levine concluded, “When in doubt, owners should contact their vet’s office. It’s better to address a potential infection or other problem sooner rather than later.”
