Preparing For Your Pets Surgery
If you have just found out that your pet is going to need surgery, then you want to make sure you are fully prepared for everything. This way, everything will go smoothly on your end at a time when you will already be a bundle of nerves. Here are some things you want to do and be aware of when your pet is going to be having surgery –
Find out the costs you will be looking at: It's important that you are financially prepared for everything. Get a quote from the vet that includes everything from the surgery, to the cost of the overnight stay, the price of all the tests, the price of all the medications and any other prices that you may incur. Also, make sure you know ahead of time whether or not you can set up a payment plan for some of the costs. If you have pet insurance, verify that the vet accepts it before you assume this is how you will be paying for the surgery.
Come up with an after-surgery care plan: Find out what restrictions your pet will have after surgery and make sure you have a care plan in place that will cater to those restrictions. You may need to purchase some supplies, such as a kennel, to make sure the pet is contained and separated from other pets until they are healed. Also, if someone should be with the pet for the first few says after surgery, then you want to designate someone as the caregiver who can be there with them. You may need to rotate caregivers, so everyone can still take care of their errands, go to work, attend school, etc. If your pet is going to have an incision, make sure you know how to tend to it and that they continuously have clean and dry bedding so the incision stays clean and dry.
Prepare yourself and your family for everything: You'll want to mentally prepare yourself for your pet's surgery and aftercare. Make sure you know what to look for as far as possible side effects or problems, so you can spot possible issues right away and get your pet back in. Also, make sure you prepare your family for what your pet will come home looking like, so they aren't surprised. This can include explaining that they will be shaved, have stitches, be wearing a protective cone around their neck so they don't bite at the stitches, etc. You also want to let everyone else know what to look for, in case something happens while you aren't there.
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