We will provide more patient-specific instructions regarding your pet's recovery when they are discharged from the hospital following their procedure.

Post-Anesthesia Care:

• Most patients will recover from the anesthetic drugs within 24 hours. However, it can take some patients up to 48 hours to fully recover from the anesthesia. We see this more in our older patients.
• While your pet is groggy, they can be unsteady on their feet. We want you to do stairs with them and avoid situations where they could stumble and fall.
• It is normal for patients not to have a bowel movement for 24 to 36 hours after surgery. Their systems should return to regularity on their own.
• You may notice a dry, soft cough (similar to when you have a tickle in your throat).
• This is due to the breathing tube that we place to provide oxygen and anesthetic gas, which may cause a little irritation. This should resolve on its own as the irritation subsides.
• Patients can exhibit excessive vocalization during their recovery. This is typically due to confusion from the anesthesia. It is generally not a sign of pain, since pain-relieving (analgesic) medications were administered.
• The medications from anesthesia can cause some patients to feel nauseous. This may decrease their appetite, but it should improve in 12-24 hours.

Post-Surgery Oral Care:

• Oral care will vary based on the procedure that was performed.
• We place regional nerve blocks in all quadrants of the mouth containing teeth and/or roots. Patients may react to the numbing sensation of the nerve block by pawing at their face and/or licking at the air. This is normal and should cease within a few hours of returning home.
• With extractions: Patients typically will take 10-14 days for the extraction sites to heal. During this time we want to keep cats indoors. For dogs, when going outside use a leash and prevent them from picking up objects that may cause injury to the mouth. Sutures will dissolve on their own and do not require removal, but can take up to 3 weeks to completely disappear.
• Patients may have blood-tinged saliva and/or nasal discharge for the first 24 hours following the procedure. This should subside on its own.
• Patients should be fed their regular diets, as changing food can cause stomach upset. If the pet receives hard/dry food, it should be softened for 5-10 minutes with lukewarm water before offering it to them.
• Patients receiving their food softened with water may decrease their water consumption from their water bowl. They are getting the hydration from their wet food.
• Patients who have full mouth extractions performed, once healed, can go back to eating their hard/dry food. Some may have a little bit of a learning curve at first, but will get the hang of it. Cats and dogs generally do not use their teeth to chew dry food.
• Without extractions: For patients who have a non-invasive procedure, typically their restrictions are lifted within a day or two.