Last Updated on 12 months by Dr Alisha Barnes
If your pet has suffered an injury or wound, you know how stressful and overwhelming it can be. You want to do everything you can to help them heal as quickly and comfortably as possible, and it can be frustrating to feel like you’re just watching as they do the work of recovering. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help your pet recover while they are healing from an injury or wound, as well as tips to help prevent future injuries. Let’s take a look at what you can do.
Provide Proper Care and Attention
When your pet is injured, the most important thing you can do is provide them with the proper care and attention they need in order to heal. This means making sure that their wound is properly cleaned and dressed, ensuring that their medications are given on time, and providing them with extra love and comfort during this difficult time. It’s also important to keep a close eye on them for any signs of infection or complications. If you notice anything unusual or out of the ordinary, contact your veterinarian right away.
Providing proper care and attention also means learning their “healing moods.” Your pet may not behave the same way that they usually do when they’re feeling unwell, recovering from injury, or recovering from sickness. They may be more lethargic than usual, they may exhibit some signs of irritability or exhaustion, and they may be more or less clingy than you’re used to. Adjust to their mood and understand that this is just temporary—they’ll likely be back to behaving like their old self once they’re feeling their best again.
Keep Them Comfortable
Another way to help your pet recover from their injury is by keeping them comfortable while they are healing. This means providing them with soft bedding so they don’t have to lay on hard surfaces, using heating pads or warm compresses if necessary, and limiting their activity until they have fully healed. Additionally, if your pet has had surgery, make sure that the incision site is kept clean and dry at all times until it is fully healed.
Keeping your pet comfortable is an intuitive process and an important part of their healing. Try not to change their environment too much. Instead, keep them comfortable in a familiar location where they feel safe and protected. Use familiar blankets and bedding, familiar treats and foods (that have been approved for them to eat during this time), and familiar toys, if they’re able to play.
Limit Stressors
Stress can slow down the healing process for humans and animals alike, so it’s important to minimize stressors in your pet’s environment while they are recovering from an injury or wound. This means avoiding loud noises like fireworks or thunderstorms that may startle them, limiting visitors who may overwhelm them, and avoiding changes in routine such as travel that could be too much for them at this time. Additionally, try to keep other pets away from your injured pet until they have fully recovered—other animals may not understand why your injured pet needs extra rest and relaxation!
Children can be particularly stressful for healing pets to interact with. Ensure that you are supervising any interactions that children are having with your healing pet, and that any unsupervised interactions are only with children and adults who know how to interact gently with your pet.
With proper care and attention along with some extra TLC during recovery time, you can help ensure that your beloved furry friend returns back to good health in no time! While it’s impossible to completely protect our pets from injuries (and life!), following these tips will go a long way towards helping prevent future injuries by keeping stress levels low and providing a safe environment for them while they heal. With love, patience, understanding—and plenty of treats—your four-legged family member will soon be back up on their feet again!
Pet Chiropractic, CO
Pet chiropractic is a wonderful way to supplement your pet’s health and well-being throughout their healing process. Pet chiropractic can help to regulate your pet’s nervous system, ensuring that they are calmer, more relaxed, and more apt to heal during this time. At Tails Chiropractic Care, we are devoted to providing the most effective and therapeutic care to your pets, whether they are healing from an injury or are just looking to become healthier and more vital. To find out how we can help your beloved furry friend, contact us today!