New Client Information Sheet

To save time during your first visit to D.C. Vets, Inc., you may download this information sheet, fill it out and bring it with you.

Strict Confinement

The majority of our patients are placed on STRICT CONFINEMENT for a certain amount of time post operatively.

The following is a detailed explanation of what this requirement entails.

Your pet has been placed on confinement to a small room, pen or crate. Whenever you are not at home or not able to provide immediate supervision, your pet should be placed in this area. It is best to try to keep your pet only on carpeted surfaces as he/she is less likely to slip and further injure himself/herself. They should not be allowed free roam of the home or be allowed to play with other pets in the household. Your pet should be in the confined area overnight to ensure they do not injure themselves. If you are watching T.V. or doing something that keeps you in one place, your pet can be out with you provided they will sit next to you quietly and not be allowed to jump on or off furniture. Your pet should only go outside on a leash and only for elimination.

If your pet objects to the crate and is trying to dig, jumping in the confined area or doing other behavior that could cause more injury, please call and let us know immediately. We may need to prescribe a sedative to help them adjust to being confined. The goal is to keep this individual as quiet as possible and doing the least exercise as possible.

As fewer calories are required while being confined, be sure to decrease food consumption as weight gain can slow the healing process and aggravate an injury. Most pets will maintain their current weight on ½-3/4 of their normal portion.  

During the first 3-5 days after surgery, you may notice constipation or straining with defecation. This may be a “side effect” of the medications utilized post operatively. Pumpkin pie filling, Metamucil or other stool softeners may be indicated to help alleviate this problem. Call us or your family veterinarian if these symptoms occur.

If you have any further questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to call!

This is NOT an example of Strict Confinement.

Elizabethan Collar

The majority of our patients are sent home with an Elizabethan collar or "E-collar" post-operatively. The E-collars are worn to prevent licking, scratching or any other irritation to the surgical incision. We strongly advise owners to utilize these collars at ALL times until suture/staple removals. The collar should only be removed to eat, drink or when under direct supervision, all of which are optional removal.

The collars received their name from the fashionable ruffs worn by royalty in the Elizabethan times.