How to tell if your cat is in pain following surgery

Following surgery, any animal can be more quiet than usual. But, how do you know if they are in pain? Unfortunately, complications can occur following surgery so it is important to be able to read the signs so that you know when to take your pet back to the veterinary hospital.

Tips:
• Posture: a cat in a hunched position, with its head hung low, resenting handling is likely to be uncomfortable.
• Orientation in bed or crate: a cat that sits back in its bed or crate, or pacing, agitation or vocalization can also indicate that your pet is uncomfortable.
• Facial Expressions: A head-down posture with the eyelids half-closed may indicate pain.
• Loss of Normal Behavior: any change in the normal behavior should be monitored as it may indicate pain.
• Response to handling: a cat that flinches or turns to bite when its wound is gently touched is an indication of pain.

Dog Knee Reconstructions or Cruciate Surgery

Unfortunately, many of us aware of the knee reconstruction surgery in dogs. In the veterinary world it is referred to as an ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) surgery. Surgeries can get up to as much at $5000. So, it’s often best to prevent it from happening.

Prevention:
• Prevent obesity as this can lead to strained joints
• Provide regular exercise to strengthen the muscles around the knee
• Stick to exercise that does not require a lot of twisting action or sudden stopping
• Always warm up before strenuous exercise such as long hikes, running etc

Predispositions:
• Large and giant breeds are at higher risk than small breeds.
• Young, active dogs are at higher risk
• Overweight dogs suffer higher levels of stress on their joints
• Dogs that are hit by cars, attacked by other dogs, or that suffer other forms of trauma may incur a cruciate ligament injury
• Dogs that have previously injured a cruciate ligament in one knee are at increased risk of injuring the ligament in the other knee at a later date.
• Dogs with relatively long legs are at increased risk of cruciate ligament injury.
• Dogs that are spayed or neutered at a very young age may be at relatively higher risk of cruciate ligament injury.

Symptoms
• Sudden, severe limping on one rear leg
• Dog bears no weight on the leg after injury.
• Dogs with partial cruciate ligament tears may experience milder or intermittent limping.
• Swelling of the knee may occur

Gastrointestinal Foreign Bodies

Some animals have a tendency to eat non food items or "foreign bodies". Sometimes the foreign bodies may pass through the gut without causing a problem but frequently they become lodged in the stomach or small intestines creating an obstruction. An obstruction is a surgical emergency!

Some of the common foreign bodies removed from animal gastrointestinal tracts include:

• corn cobs
• stones from fruit such as nectarines and peaches
• plastic and string packaging around meat products
• fish hooks
• string/wool (cats)

The common symptoms of obstruction include:

• poor appetite
• vomiting
• lethargy
• weight loss
• pain

If you are concerned your pet may have eaten a foreign body or is displaying any of these symptoms, seek veterinary advice immediately as surgery may be required.