SNIP & TIP: Discharge and Recovery Instructions
Discharge and Recovery Instructions:
Your cats were given a long acting injection of anesthetic for today’s surgery. Many will have only partially recovered from anesthesia at the time that you pick them up, and it may take up to 24 hours for them to wake up completely. Caretakers should monitor cats (in traps) for at least 24 hours following the time they are picked up to provide their best possible care. Do not allow cats to get cold for 24 hours after surgery because they are unable to regulate body temperature until they have metabolized the anesthesia.
Please do not transport recovering cats in the back of a truck bed.
Keep the cats in their traps in a comfortable, temperature controlled, dry area. They cannot regulate their body temperature while recovering from anesthesia and are therefore susceptible to heat and cold. Covering the traps with a sheet or towel may help keep them calm.
Keep cats confined for at least 24 hours. Do not release any cat the day of surgery. Females that were pregnant or in heat should be kept at least 36 hours after surgery – longer if possible.
Do not reach in to the traps! Do not stick your fingers in the trap! Even if the cats do not appear fully awake yet or if they are normally friendly. They will still react and may bite.
Do not give the cats food or water the day of surgery unless they are under 5 months of age. Feed them the next morning. It is best to use canned food since it has a higher water content. Put canned food on newspaper, set on the floor and set the trap on the food. Do not open the cage door.
Normal behaviors that occur during recovery include deep sleep, head bobbing, wobbly movements, fast breathing and shivering. No cat should be released the next day if it still has these signs. Some bleeding from the ear crop is common. Males may have some drainage from the surgery area.
Abnormal behaviors during recovery include continued bleeding from the surgery area, lethargy the day after surgery or golf ball or larger swelling in the abdomen at the incision site.
If you have any concerns about the recovery of the cats during the first 72 hours after discharge, please call Fix For Life at 615-453-2349.
It is important that you let us know about any complications during the first few days after surgery, even if you resolve them yourself or with your own veterinarian. We need to be aware of any problems so we can take corrective action if necessary. Please give us your cat identification number when you call.
RELEASING THE CATS: You must keep the cats confined for at least 24 hours after surgery. This is especially important for Females. If possible, keep females confined for two days.
Cats should be released in the same area as they were trapped.
DO NOT RELEASE CATS THE SAME DAY AS SURGERY (have we said that enough?)
*All cats received a vaccination for Rabies, Feline Rhinotracheitis, Calici, & Panleukopenia. They also received an antibiotic injection. Dissolvable/Absorbable suture was used so no stitches need to be removed.
SNIP & TIP is a program of New Leash on Life, a private, non-profit charitable organization. Donations are appreciated.
SNIP & TIP - 511 W. Baddour Pkwy, Lebanon, TN 37087
615-444-8299