What to Feed Dogs After a Surgical Procedure
After surgery, your beloved pet dog will need time to heal. It is a special time to care for your pet dogs. The longer it takes for your dog to heal, the more there is a risk for infection.
The vet offers post-op care instructions that must be thoroughly followed. It includes giving special attention to what your dog eats. Understanding how to care for your pet will get it back to its feet in no time.
What to Expect After Surgery
Regardless of what type of dog surgery, sedation is required. Anesthesia may wear off hours after, or sometimes it may take a couple of days. Recovery time varies from dog to dog. It may be a time of confusion for the pet dog. Add to it the pain and discomfort from the wounds. Dogs may be shaky, sleepy, sore, and lacking a desire for food.
Feeding After Surgery
A dog’s stomach may be a little queasy after an operation. Giving a small healthy meal and fresh water is better when it is time to eat. A bland home-cooked meal is ideal. However, do not fret if the dog does not eat. It normally takes 24 hours for a dog to regain its cravings.
If appetite does not come back after 48 hours, or if there is vomiting or diarrhea, an emergency animal hospital in Staten Island recommends that you rush back to the vet. It can be a sign of infection or pain.
Recovery Diet Recommendations
The dog can then be offered an ideal recovery diet which should be nutrition-packed. Because the dog tends to eat less, protein is needed to protect muscle mass. Foods high in energy promote healing and assist metabolism. Fats are likewise necessary as recovering dogs will be insulin resistant, and fats repair and rebuild tissues.
Food ought to be attractive and tasty to encourage the dog to eat. Such post-op foods, as advised by a veterinarian in Staten Island, can be the following:
- Boiled ground turkey and shredded chicken, bones removed
- Boiled eggs
- Rice
After the critical period, you can start adding more to their menu. Food that supports health and promotes healing are:
- Small fish like sardines, anchovies, and other seafood are abundant in Omega-3.
- Bone broth improves food digestion, cleanses the liver, minimizes pain, and so on.
- Kelp is rich in iodine, selenium, zinc, and magnesium and can reinforce immunity, digestion, and thyroid function.
- Yogurt for probiotics for those still taking antibiotics. It also detoxes and heals the bowel and chelates heavy metals.
- Organ meats contain minerals and multivitamins and can likewise support blood building.
Helpful Tips to Get Your Dog Eating
Some dogs might find it challenging to eat in discomfort. Or, possibly, your dog is ready for food but is acting like a big baby. If that is the case, you can motivate your pet to eat with these tips.
Heat the Food
A little warm water to soften kibbles would enable a dog without energy to eat. Home-cooked meals smell pretty good and are enticing when served warm.
Give Meat
If your dog snobs kibble, it’s time to offer some boiled meat or eggs. The smell of protein can do marvels for a carnivore’s appetite.
Baby Food
Perhaps the hungry dog is still lacking energy or still feels nauseous. You can give it store-bought baby food or blend your mix with carbohydrates, meat, and veggies. No chewing is required.
Hand-Feeding
Get down on the floor, speak gently, and hand-feed your pet dog. A little tender loving care will be beneficial, especially if the dog needs to wear the cone of shame.
