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?

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