Aftercare protocol
Surgery ends. The work continues.
A great surgical outcome depends as much on what happens after your pet leaves our clinic as on what happens in the operating room. Here's the protocol we send home with every patient — pain management, recheck visits, cold-laser sessions, text-message access, and a structured rehab schedule.
Five pillars of recovery
What's included in your flat rate.
Long-acting local anesthetic injected during closing of every orthopedic and most soft-tissue surgeries — keeps your pet comfortable for the critical first days at home.
Joint supplements sent home after every orthopedic surgery. We bundle what your pet needs to support healing — no separate purchase required.
As many recheck appointments as your pet needs — already part of the surgical fee. We don't bill recheck visits separately, ever.
A cold-laser session over the incision at every recheck — reduces inflammation, speeds healing, and is non-invasive. Included in every package.
Direct text access to our team until 9pm on surgery days. Worried about something at home? You're not waiting until morning for an answer.
Every part of recovery — meds, exams, x-rays, laser, rehab — is in the flat rate you were quoted. If we didn't tell you in advance, we don't bill for it later.
Post-op protocol
The first two weeks.
What we send home with every surgical patient. Save this page, screenshot it, share it with whoever is doing the bulk of the at-home care.
Recovery — what to watch for
E-collar for at least 2 weeks. A proper plastic Elizabethan cone — no soft cones or donut cones. They're not effective at preventing licking, and licking the incision is the #1 cause of post-op infection.
Monitor gum color. Healthy gums should be pink. If you see pale or blue gums, contact us immediately or call your nearest 24-hour emergency vet.
Incision check daily. Some mild redness and swelling are normal in the first 48 hours. Discharge that's bloody-tinged is normal; pus, foul odor, or widening of the incision is not. Text or call us with a photo if anything looks off.
Activity — strict rest, on leash only
Limit activity for the first 2 weeks at minimum. No off-leash time, no running, no jumping, no rough play, no stairs going down (going up is generally OK). For orthopedic patients, activity restrictions extend through the structured rehab program below.
Crate or small-room confinement when you can't supervise. Short on-leash potty walks only.
Follow-up — rechecks are included
Recheck visits are part of the surgical fee — we never bill them separately. Most patients have a recheck at 2 weeks (suture removal if applicable) and again at the 4–8 week mark (follow-up x-rays for orthopedic cases).
Each recheck includes a cold-laser session over the incision site. If recovery is slower than expected, additional rechecks and laser sessions are added at no charge.
Medications — what's in the discharge bag
Nocita — a long-acting local anesthetic injected during surgery, effective for the first ~72 hours.
Long-acting antibiotic injection — given before discharge, provides ~14 days of coverage. No daily pills needed for the antibiotic.
Take-home pain medications + supplements — give as directed on the label. Supplements should continue until the bottle is finished; many orthopedic patients benefit from continuing them for life (see our Products page).
Food & water — go gentle the first 24 hours
First night: offer about half of a normal meal. Many pets aren't hungry after anesthesia and that's expected — don't force food. Water should be available but in small amounts at a time.
If no bowel movement by day 3: add a tablespoon or two of plain canned pumpkin (not pie filling) to meals.
If no bowel movement by day 5: contact us.
Urination may take up to 48 hours to return to normal post-surgery. If your pet isn't urinating after 48 hours, contact us.
Rehabilitation program
A structured program, not "rest and hope."
Every orthopedic patient receives a take-home rehab plan tailored to their procedure and built around a structured set of exercises. Restrictions plus daily protocols.
Activity restrictions
During rehab — these are firm.
- ✗ No stairs going down (up is OK if necessary)
- ✗ No running
- ✗ No jumping
- ✗ No roughhousing or rough play
- ✗ No off-leash time
- ✓ Short on-leash potty walks only, per the schedule
Two schedules
Tailored to the procedure.
8-week full rehab — for TPLO, CBLO, MPL (medial patellar luxation correction), and fracture repair patients. Progressive exercise loading week-by-week, with milestones at week 2, 4, 6, and 8.
4-week to full-return schedule — for FHO (femoral head ostectomy) patients. Earlier return to weight-bearing because FHO doesn't have implants to protect.
Full muscle strength: 3–6 months post-surgery.
Daily rehab treatments
The actual exercises, with cadence.
Most can be done at home in 15–20 minutes a day. Each progresses week by week — your written rehab plan tells you exactly when to advance.
2–3× daily, 5–10 min over the surgical site. Reduces swelling and inflammation in the early recovery window.
Gentle stroking massage over and around the limb. Improves circulation, reduces fluid buildup, helps your pet tolerate handling.
2× daily, 10 reps × 10 seconds. Gentle compression at the joint encourages synovial fluid movement and reduces stiffness.
2× daily, 3 sets of 3, 5-second holds. Re-engages the surgical limb for weight-bearing. Foundation of strength recovery.
Brushing or gentle tickling over the limb, 30 seconds, 2–3× daily. Wakes up nerve pathways the surgery may have disturbed.
5 min, 2–3× daily, 10–15s holds. Maintains range of motion. Slow and gentle — never force through resistance.
5 sets of 5, 15-second holds. Gently rocking the pet side-to-side or front-to-back trains weight-bearing in controlled steps.
2× daily, 5 reps × 2–3 sets. Passive flexion/extension of the affected joint. Prevents scar tissue and joint stiffness.
Hold a treat at the pet's shoulder or hip on the surgical side — they have to turn into the limb to take it. Builds strength through neck rotation.
Per the PT schedule in your written plan. Distance progresses week by week. Never off-leash during the rehab window.
5 sets of 3. Gentle pull on the limb decompresses the joint and stretches the surrounding soft tissue.
Watch for "kicking out" — pets often shift weight off the surgical limb. Gently correct posture during standing and walks.
5 reps × 5–10 steps. Engages a different set of muscles than forward walking — builds hindlimb strength.
10–15 minutes, later in the rehab schedule. Adds load gradually. Watch for fatigue — stop before your pet starts compensating.
5–8 circles, 2× daily, affected limb on the inside. Loads the surgical leg asymmetrically — one of the highest-yield late-rehab exercises.
Need help during recovery?
Text us. Until 9pm on surgery days, the team is reachable directly — no portal, no waiting room.