Caring for Pets After Surgery: Tips for Techs

I wanted to share some insights on post-operative care for pets, especially since it’s such an important part of our job as techs. For instance, I always make sure to educate pet owners on monitoring their animals for signs of pain after surgery. Has anyone else found specific tips or tricks that help in communicating with clients during this critical time?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌​⁠​‌‌​​‌​⁠​‌‌​⁠‌​⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‌‍‌‌‌‌⁠​⁠​‍‌​‌‍‌⁠​​‌​‌​‌​‌⁠‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

But it’s so true! Sometimes I feel like I’m playing a game of ‘Guess What’s Normal’ with pet owners. I find it helpful to provide them with a brochure that lays out clear symptoms to watch for, just in case they miss something after you leave.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‍​​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‍‌​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍‍‌​​⁠‌​‍‍‌​⁠‍‌‌​⁠‌​‌‍‌‍‍⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‌​​‌​‍‌‌‌‌‍‌​⁠⁠‌‌​​‌​‍​​⁠‌​‌⁠‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

It’s like playing detective with pet owners, isn’t it? I’ve found that using a pain scale chart can really help owners gauge their pet’s comfort level better. Has anyone tried this approach?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‍​​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‍‌​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​⁠‌‍​⁠‌​‌​‌‍​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍​⁠​‍‌‍‍‌​⁠​​‌‍​‌‌​⁠​‌​‌⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I’ve found that showing owners how to check their pets’ incision sites can really empower them during recovery — taking just a few minutes to walk them through it makes a big difference in their confidence. Have you found a good way to explain what to look for in terms of swelling or redness?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‍​​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‍‌​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‌‌⁠​⁠‌‍⁠‍‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌⁠‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‍‌‍​⁠‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​