Your instructions.
Their next steps.

Tonight following anesthesia, your pet will need to be kept warm or cool depending on the season. Your pet may remain groggy for up to a day after anesthesia. Many patients may not have a bowel movement for 24–48 hours after anesthesia.

If your pet had an intravenous catheter during their procedure today, they may have a small bandage on their foreleg. Please remove the bandage once your pet is home.

To secure an airway and maintain inhaled anesthesia (isoflurane), a breathing (endotracheal) tube was placed down Bailey’s throat. This may cause a minor cough for the next 24–48 hours.

After today’s dental procedure, Bailey’s mouth could be sore, especially where teeth were extracted. Bailey had 2 extractions today. Feed soft food for 14 days. A pink tinge to saliva or the water bowl is common for 1–2 days after an extraction. If an extraction site was sutured, the absorbable material takes approximately seven days to dissolve.

Feeding

Offer small amounts of water (1 tablespoon for a dog or cat, or 1 cup for a larger dog) every hour or so after returning home until Bailey seems satisfied. Then offer half of Bailey’s normal dinner portion. If Bailey is interested, feed the remainder in another hour. If Bailey is not eager to eat, waiting until morning is reasonable.

Monitoring

Monitor Bailey’s status. Decreased appetite or activity for a day or two can be expected. Contact the hospital immediately if Bailey exhibits any of the warning signs below.

• Loss of appetite
• Weakness
• Depression
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever

Medications

Please follow the label regarding medications as dispensed by the veterinarian. Bailey has 2 medications to go home.

• Carprofen 50 mg: Give 1 tablet by mouth every 12 hours with food for 5 days for pain and inflammation.
• Gabapentin 200 mg: Give 1 capsule by mouth every 12 hours for 5–7 days for supplemental pain relief.

Follow-up

Please schedule Bailey’s follow-up appointment with the DVM or technician in 7 days.

Most dogs and cats require teeth cleaning annually. Brushing, dental chews, bones, and other dental products may help lengthen the time between cleanings. We carry a variety of dental health care products for maintaining oral health at home.

If you have other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call us.