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Lend Your Desexed Pet a Hand! 3 Ways to Help Your Neutered Cat Heal

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After buying a cat from a reputable breeder and bringing it home, you need to neuter or desex it–unless you bought it for breeding. Neutering a male cat doesn't just control breeding; it also prevents the behavioural problems that most male cats develop. If you aren't happy with your cat's frequent wandering, aggressive tendencies and territorial markings, neuter or desex it to stop these annoying behaviours. Pet desexing could also prevent peri-anal fistulas, prostate problems and testicular cancer. 

However, do you know how you should take care of your neutered cat after the surgical procedure? Here's what you should do:

Feed It When the Anaesthesia Effects Are Gone

Most vets give cats some muscle relaxants, anaesthetic substances or even sedate them during the desexing procedure. According to most vets, the drugs used to sedate the pets usually numb the gag reflex and somehow hinder gastric motility. Thus, you should wait for these anaesthesia effects to go and then feed your neutered cat. If you feed the cat before these effects are gone, it may vomit or be unable to swallow the food. Once the effects wear off, you should first give the cat half the meal it's used to and then increase the amount progressively.

Don't Bathe the Cat for 10 Days

After the surgical procedure, you shouldn't bathe your cat for the next ten days. If you do, the still-fresh wounds would be exposed to microorganisms that might hinder quick healing or even worsen the situation. Although bathing your cat might help remove the germs living on its skin, it could also create a moist environment that bacteria and germs need to breed and thrive.

Moreover, bathing softens the skin underneath tissues and stitched areas, slowing down the healing process. If you suspend bath time for the first ten days, the wound-incision areas will dry and heal quickly, denying the germs and bacteria a chance to get into its bloodstream and cause more infections.

Administer Drugs as Instructed

The first few days after the surgical procedure might be painful for your desexed cat, but your vet would prescribe some analgesics to help it manage the pain. The vet might also prescribe some prophylactic antibiotics to curb infections. Ensure you follow the vet's instructions to administer the drugs at the right time and dosage. Even if you have some other antibiotics or pain killers at home, don't administer them if your vet doesn't know it. The vet will alert you on the side effects the medications are likely to cause, how severe they might be and probably when you may need to take the cat back for review.

If the surgical incision isn't healing as expected, a follow-up visit to the vet would be critical. If your pet's body doesn't seem to absorb and dissolve the sutures used, take the neutered cat back to the vet to have them removed. Furthermore, if you notice some other surgical complications – like persistent discharges, increased swelling, severe coughing episodes and persistent redness and pain – call or visit your vet immediately for further examination and treatment.


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