How to get a dog to eat after surgery?
This dog blog will answer the major question, “How to get a dog to eat after surgery?” we will also discuss the major complications of post-operative care, the type of surgery affecting the food quality, and the key points to keep in mind before giving a meal to your dog.
How do get a dog to eat after surgery?
You can get your dog to eat after surgery by changing the diet, making it richer with protein, and giving it a soft diet. It is very important to keep in mind the type of surgery as the preferences change according to the type of surgery. Moreover, you should divide the meals into several portions in a day.
How does the type of surgery affect the feed consumption of your dog?
Following are the types of surgery that affect the food consumption of your dog:
Orthopedic surgery
In orthopedic surgery, your dog’s movement is restricted to a confined area. Restricted movement and a rich diet can increase the weight of your dog. Giving too much of a rich diet to your dog is not healthy for your dog as it can lead to obesity.
Obesity is the leading cause of Inflammation of joints and heart problems in your dog. Always consult your vet before formulating the exact dog food for your dog.
Giving a well-balanced diet, and keeping protein low and energy high can help your dog recover very quickly.
Pancreatic surgery
If your dog has undergone pancreatic surgery, then giving too much feed is a problem for your dog. The pancreas is responsible for secreting digestive enzymes in the duodenum of your dog which digests the food in the intestine.
Giving too much food after pancreatic surgery can cause intestinal blockage in your dog as the intestine is not able to digest the food properly.
Following are the major clinical signs of intestinal blockage in your dog:
- Little to no stool
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness
- Lethargy
- Dehydration
- Abdominal pain
Surgery involving the gastrointestinal tract
If the surgery involves the gastrointestinal tract, it is better to keep your dog on liquid feed such as IV feed till the gastrointestinal tract has properly healed.
After healing you can give small meals to your dog and wait till your dog digests them.
You should look for the following signs in your dog after giving food to your dog:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Blood in stool
- Weakness
- Abdominal pain
- Excessive salivation
Surgery involving the oral cavity
If the surgery involves the mouth of your dog, your dog will not be able to chew the food. You need to offer a soft and small amount of food to your dog.
Giving too much food can cause choking in your dog. You should look for the following signs after giving food to your dog:
- Unable to vomit
- Feeling difficult in respiration.
- Unable to swallow
- Loss of appetite
- Gaging
- Head towards the ground
What are the post-operative complications that affect feed consumption in your dog?
Following are the postoperative complications affecting the feed consumption:
Infection
The first problem is the infection. In infection, the dog does not eat because of the prostaglandin released into the body. This complication can occur due to poor surgical practice or poor post-operative care.
If you see a fever in your dog, you should call your vet. Your vet will perform a clinical exam and will prescribe antibiotics to your dog.
Quality postoperative care is critical as it can reduce the risk of infection and other complications in your dog.
Breakage of sutures
Sometimes due to excessive stretching, the sutures break and it leads to the opening of the wound. This can delay the wound healing process and also cause pain in your dog.
This also reduces the food intake of your dog. You should inspect the sutures every day and apply an antiseptic solution to avoid any kind of infection.
Allergic reaction in the wound area
Sometimes the allergic reaction starts at the wound site, which can cause restlessness in your dog. Restlessness can decrease the food intake of your dog.
Look for the signs of redness and rashes at the wound site.
What are the key points you should keep in mind before giving food to your dog?
Following are the key points you should keep in mind before giving food to your dog:
- Age of your dog.
- Weight for your dog.
- Condition of your dog after surgery.
- Divide the meals into several pieces.
Conclusion
In this brief discussion, we answered our important question, “How to get the dog to eat after surgery?” we also talked about the major complications of post-operative care, the type of surgery affecting the food quality, and the key points to keep in mind before giving a meal to your dog.
References
https://boneocanine.com/blogs/dog/7-ways-to-help-a-dog-not-eating-after-surgery
https://www.dockerymobleyvets.com/site/blog/2021/07/30/helping-dog-after-surgery
https://www.ahna.net/site/blog-asheville-vet/2020/08/04/care-for-your-pet-after-surgery
