Post-operative Care Guideline
Post-operative monitoring can be divided into two phases. Phase one includes recovery from anesthesia. During this phase the animal should be observed no less that every fifteen minutes. The animal should not be returned to his home cage until in sternal recumbency.
Phase I
1) Provide the animal a quiet, warm place to recover until fully ambulatory.
2) Do not supply bowls of food or water until the animal is fully ambulatory.
3) If an endotracheal tube was used, extubate the animal when swallowing reflexes return.
4) Place most species in lateral recumbency (ruminants should be propped up in sternal recumbency).
5) Rotate the body every fifteen minutes to avoid atelectasis.
6) Maintain records: fluids, analgesia, any treatments, and animal’s behavior. Rodent records may be kept in “batch” form, but individual records must be kept for USDA covered species.
7) Give whole blood or plasma if PCV is < 20%.
8) Check physiological parameters (heart rate, temperature, capillary refill etc.) and record in large animal records. All animals should be observed every 15 minutes until fully ambulatory.
9) All surgeries require post-operative analgesia unless the IACUC has approved a scientific justification that explains why you can’t administer analgesia. If you have questions concerning the type of analgesic needed or when to administer it, contact one of DLAM’s veterinarians at 966-3111.
Phase II
Phase II starts after the animal is in sternal recumbency and has been returned to the home cage. Monitoring at this point depends on the surgical procedure; how invasive was it? The following items should be considered:
1) Check the animal several times a day if the procedure was invasive. Pay close attention to the animal’s behavior, e.g. food/water intake, amount of urination and defecation. Any abnormal behavior or physiological changes should be reported to the DLAM veterinary technical staff at 966-2906.
2) Check the incision site daily (look for swelling, infection and dehiscence).
3) Note the animal’s hydration. This can be achieved by pinching the skin. Skin that remains tented or is slow to return to rest indicates dehydration. Warm fluids should be given if the animal is dehydrated.
4) If the animal does not seem to be recovering as expected, report this to Veterinary Services, 966-2906.
5) Remove sutures or wound clips in seven to ten days.