At-home care makes a big difference to how quickly and well your puppy recovers from surgery. Most puppies make a quick recovery, especially if they’ve been crate trained - a crate is an ideal resting and recovery spot.
Your vet will give you instructions but generally a puppy should be given plenty of rest at home in a clean place until their stitches have healed enough to be removed (normally 10-14 days after surgery). You should try to limit their running, jumping and other strenuous activity, and baths are off the table until their stitches are removed. Gentle lead walking is normally ok.
Check your puppy’s incision site at least twice a day for signs of infection, like:
- Excessive swelling
- Redness
- Heat
- A bad smell
- Discharge from the surgical site
If you spot any of these signs, call your vet immediately. You can also reduce their infection risk by following your vet’s instructions, using any medications they’ve been prescribed and stopping them from licking their surgical site (ask for a cone or try a protective collar).
You can expect your puppy to eat normally within 2 days of surgery. They should be back to their normal activities 10-14 days after surgery.