Home Care Instructions Following Skin Workup's
What to Expect
Depending on the type of skin diagnostics your pet requires, some patients may need sedation for these tests to be performed. If your pet was not sedated for the skin workup, then no change to their general home care is required.
However, if your pet was sedated, the following home care advice will apply. Your pet should be kept in a warm, dry, quiet and ideally indoor location in the 24 hours following discharge from our clinic. They may still be a little bit drowsy after they go home with you. There may also be some irritability or incoordination during this initial 24-hour period immediately after the sedation. There may be a shaved area on your pet's front or back legs; this is the IV injection site. Some bruising to this area may be seen when they go home with you; however, if this persists beyond 72 hours, please give us a call at the clinic.
Results
With your permission, the skin samples has been sent away to an external lab for cytology, histopathology and/or culture and sensitivity. A veterinarian will contact you with the results as soon as they are back from the lab – this typically takes up to 10 working days. If skin cytology was performed at our clinic, we usually strive to report these results at the time of discharge or the day after. Based on these preliminary results, your veterinarian may recommend further investigations (e.g. dermatology referral) if any are required. Your pet's medications may also be changed depending on the test results. Please ensure that your contact details are up to date so that we have a number to reach you at.
Exercise Restriction
Unless otherwise directed by your veterinarian or veterinary nurse at the time of discharge, no change to your pet's exercise regime is required. However, we do recommend that dogs are toileted on a lead and only receive light lead exercise in the 24 hours following sedation. Cats should ideally remain indoors for 24 hours following sedation.
Diet
Unless otherwise directed by your veterinarian or veterinary nurse at the time of discharge, no change is usually required to your pet's diet following sedation. Do note that based on the preliminary test results, your veterinarian may later recommend a prescription skin diet for your pet.
A small portion of your pet's diet should be fed in the evening that they come home with you, and then resume feeding normal portions in the morning. It is not unusual for some loss of appetite to occur in the first 24 hours following discharge from our clinic; however, if this persists, please give us a call at the clinic on (06) 3588675.
Should you have any enquiries or further concerns about the post-sedation care of your pet, please do not hestitate to phone us at (06) 3588675 to discuss.