My dog had surgery. What are signs of complications or infection?

Abdominal surgery is a serious surgery, especially when infection is involved. So sleeping a lot would be normal and one way of healing. The shivering and panting is likely caused by pain, so make sure she takes her pain medicine on time. Best let her rest. She may not be hungry today, which is okay. Make sure she has fresh water available. She should be a lot better tomorrow.

This can be normal after a surgery. You can gently place a cold compress around his neck which will reduce the pain and inflammation. As long as he's eating and drinking he will be fine. The first day is always the worst. Please give the pain medication first thing in the morning. Keeping Bastian quiet and out for short potty walks only will reduce the chance of increased swelling from over activity. You can also do some massage or petting to soothe him and it will relax his muscles so he can rest. If you still have questions in the morning please contact your veterinarian as they are familiar with the procedure and the expected recovery. They can add an additional pain medication too if needed. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Bastian.

I'm sorry Paws had a blockage, but I'm glad he's home. It's normal that he won't want to eat tonight and he might be a little more lethargic than normal. If he becomes very lethargic, doesn't eat at all tomorrow, stops drinks, and/or starts vomiting food or water, then I would have him seen by a vet.

Hello. Most of these surgeries heal without any problems, but if Foxy were to stop eating &/or start vomiting food & water, this is of great concern & she should be examined quickly. Her incisions should heal over the next 10-14 days, so once you get out past this point in time, you can relax. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

The incision looks normal. Her behavior is not. I recommend a recheck exam. She could be painful or could have a urinary infection. If the doxycycline is causing a stomach upset they may be able to switch antibiotics. They can put her on pain medication also to make her more comfortable. I recommend feeding wet food with added water in it so she doesn't get dehydrated. Again most dogs are back to normal in a day or two after the surgery so please bring her in for a recheck to make sure there is no complication. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Luna.

The surgical site looks fabulous, no evidence of any sort of reaction, inflammation, or infection in that area. Based on those pictures, if Miracle is still having issues I do not believe the surgical incision is responsible for it. Once bout of diarrhea is not really something to read into unless it is followed up by a few more. I would keep a close eye on her behaviors and demeanor. If she continues to be out of sorts or has a spike in any inappropriate symptom, get her into the vet that performed the surgery for a follow-up visit. Things you can do at home to assess health would include taking Miracle's rectal temperature (anything over 102.5 is considered a fever), pulling up on some of the skin to see if it quickly returns to the body to check for hydration, and checking the pinkness / moistness of the gum lining. This is a indicator of perfusion and hydration. Hope this all makes sense.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Buster, it can be exhausting on surgery day. It can be considered a "normal" occurrence for pets to be tired the day of surgery due to the anesthesia and analgesics (pain control medications) administered for the surgery itself. On occasion they may also experience some mild vomiting (i.e. once following a car ride, after eating supper/drinking water). Buster should want to sleep tonight and we do not want him running around/playing until the surgery site is healed (minimum 2 weeks). If he is too mobile/active this could result in hemorrhaging at the surgery site or failure of the incision. If he continues to vomit, seems painful/agitated, or excessively tired/lethargic then he should be evaluated by his veterinarian or an emergency veterinarian. I instruct my clients to always monitor there mucous membrane (oral gum) color at home the night following surgery to make sure it stays pink (normal color).