While dental surgery is a relatively risk-free procedure for pets compared to other medical treatments, it can still be a daunting experience for pet owners. Thankfully, as long as you're well prepared, there's little to worry about. Before your pet undergoes dental surgery, there are several steps you can take to ensure that the recovery period goes smoothly. If you're thinking of booking your dog or cat in for tooth work, here are four such steps that will ease your worries.
1. Make sure they eat well
Since pet dental surgery is almost always done under general anaesthesia, your dog or cat will likely need to avoid food for around 12 hours before their procedure. Before that, however, it's a good idea to make sure your dog has been eating healthy and nutritious meals. Following your pet's dental surgery, they may not be able to eat hard foods like dry kibble for several days. If your furry friend is a picky eater, you may find they don't eat as much as they normally would during this period. Upping their nutrition in the days before the surgery will help you feel peace of mind if your cat or dog has a lower appetite for a while post-surgery.
2. Plan their post-op meals
On the same topic, it's a good idea to plan your pet's post-operative meals in advance. If your cat or dog is used to eating dry kibble, you may need to be prepared to moisten it so it becomes soft enough to eat during recovery. If your kibble can't be soaked or your pet refuses it eat it as such, you'll want to talk to your vet about alternative dietary plans post-recovery. Your vet may advise you on how to safely and temporarily switch your pet over to wet food, or they may advise a different dietary plan entirely.
3. Discuss pain relief administration
Not all pets will need pain medication after oral surgery, but the more intense the procedure, the more likely it is. Talk to your vet in advance about whether they'll be prescribing medication and what side effects to look out for while your pet is taking it. If you have a dog or cat who hates to swallow pills, you may also want to ask about alternative administration methods, such as pill-popper devices or injected pain relief. Since a pet's mouth is likely to be tender after surgery, getting them to swallow pills the usual way will likely be even more difficult.
4. Plan the post-op check-up
Last but not least, it's always a good idea to bring your dog or cat back to the vet for a check-up after dental surgery recovery. These check-ups ensure any complications are spotted and dealt with quickly by a professional, so you'll want to make sure you've scheduled time for it in advance. For more information regarding veterinary surgery, contact a vet.