Priority: Immediate


Overview

  • This is an emergency.
  • Contact your veterinarian or after-hours emergency care facility immediately.

Symptom Considerations

  • It is normal for your dog to be quieter than usual right after surgery.
  • Keep a close eye on your dog after surgery to catch any problems quickly.
  • Keep your veterinarian up to date on your dog's status (even if it is a pleasant update).
  • Contact your veterinarian if you notice any changes to the incision site, such as bleeding, pus, missing sutures or staples.
  • If directed, keep an Elizabethan collar on at all times.
  • Your dog may need a sedative to prevent too much activity when recovering from surgery.
  • Some questions to prepare for:
    • How and when did the symptom (blood/pus) start?
    • Have you given your dog any medication or topical treatment?
    • When did you give your last dose of post-op medications (if directed)?
    • Is there a gap in the closure of the incision? Are any staples or sutures missing?
    • Do you have an Elizabethan collar at home? Do you have a crate or another way to confine your dog?