 Evie has been through several orthopedic procedures. Crate rest, mental stimulation & lots of love have been the keys to her successful healing! Even though we wish they could, our beloved pit bulls cannot tell us when they are in pain or discomfort. Even when dogs aren’t feeling well, they will often try to run and play as usual when excited or when play is initiated. If your pit bull has surgery or is going through heartworm treatment, they must receive rest and relaxation in order to heal and avoid complications. Keeping your dog calm and safe after surgery and throughout heartworm treatment can be a challenge for owners since we can’t have a serious talk with our pit bulls to explain the situation. Here are some important tips to keep in mind while your pit bull recovers after surgery and heartworm treatment. RESTRICTIONS ON MOVING, JUMPING, AND RUNNING Dogs going through heartworm treatment must be kept calm. Elevating their heart rate can lead to fatal complications. Similarly, any motion that can delay healing from surgery or cause tears in wounds and healing sites needs to be limited as much as you are able. Help your pet by emphasizing crate rest, feeding them directly in their crate, and leading them gently by leash when going to the bathroom outside. Unfortunately, no significant movements also means that playtime and walks need to change. Short walks may be OK, but it’s important to avoid any moderate or high intensity activity. Always talk to your vet about what activity is acceptable and safe. After ACL surgery for dogs, “the most difficult part of recovery is encouraging [them] to rest,” according to the surgeons at Bond Vet. If this is the case for your pup, incorporate gentle rehabilitation with small movements once back home, but consider mental stimulation to satiate their desire to play.  After Roo's TPLO surgery, her fosters (and eventual adopters!) put her on a leash to potty, ensuring she wouldn't run, jump or do anything to compromise her healing knee. MENTAL STIMULATION While your dog recovers from surgery, find ways to expend their mental energy. There are multiple nose games and food toys that can keep your dog entertained without having to move around significantly elevate their heart rate or aggravate their wounds. You can have your dog sniff out treats if you hide them in cups or your hands - or utilize interactive treat puzzles. Be sure when allowing your dog to do this, you are paying attention to their behaviors if any action is causing pain or discomfort.  While Xena recovers from her own TPLO surgery, she loves puzzles like this snuffle mat that encourage her to use her nose to find tasty treats. STAY CLOSE BY Your dog may want to be by your side when recovering from surgery, so the more that you can be there to cozy up, hold and cuddle, or pet your pup, the better for relaxation. You can even try giving it a little massage in areas like behind the ears or on the belly, as long as it is not irritating the surgery site. It would help if you can set up an area specifically for your dog to spend time after surgery, preferably with a door to keep it confined until it is allowed to move around more. Promote rest by placing their crate in this designated area, encouraging your pup to relax within it by adding beloved items. Place things like their favorite toys, beds or blankets, and something that smells like you—a towel, a shirt—in the space for your dog to feel comforted.  Evie's crate provides a secure, quiet place where she can heal safely. Keeping your dog calm and relaxed after surgery or during heartworm treatment is challenging, but it is possible with some planning and creative solutions. You can help make recovery easier by following some helpful tips and tricks to keep their minds working and their movements minimal. You will have a happy, healthy, and playful pit bull back in no time! Author Nicole McCray is a die-hard animal lover who has worked in pet care for years. She is a former vet technician, a dog mom to her two rescue pups, and she grew up living and working at her family's pet boarding facility. She loves using her writing talents to share the insight she's learned throughout her career in the hopes that her knowledge can help other pet parents out there!
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 Bringing home your first dog or adding a dog to your pack? Follow this guide to help set everyone up for success. Whether you realize it or not, bringing a new dog into your home requires some pre-planning. Essential vet appointments, creating a space for the dog, how you plan to train and teach the dog tricks, and basic needs like feeding and walking are things that have probably already been discussed and established before bringing a new dog home. Most people are not aware that it requires some more work so that the dog can achieve a level of comfort and settle into its new environment. This adjustment period is known as decompression time. BEFORE COMING HOME Try to have all of your dog's necessities before they come home. As tempting as it may be to take your new dog with you to the pet store right away, you should not do this because it can be very overwhelming for your new pup. It would help if you also took some time before bringing your dog into the home to dog-proof areas you don't want the new dog to be. Discuss with those in the house, such as family or roommates, where the dog can go, and put up baby gates on areas where the dog will not be allowed. Setting boundaries is vital. You can also set up your dog's daily routine and schedule for things like feeding times, walks, exercise/play, and potty training.  Dogs like Sugar thrive with structure and boundaries! Letting a dog roam free creates anxiety. Give your dog structure by showing them where they can and can't go. WHAT IS DECOMPRESSION? Decompression is a crucial step to helping your new dog adjust to its new surroundings. It allows the dog to feel less pressure or stress so that it can be comfortable. When newly adopted, dogs sometimes tend to feel anxious. They don't know your schedule or routine, and they need time to acclimate themselves. Think about when you go on vacation, especially somewhere far away - you aren't familiar with the surroundings, and it takes a few days to adjust - your dog feels the same way. SETTING UP A DECOMPRESSION SPACE To create a decompression space for your dog, here are some things to keep in mind. You can do some things at home to make a safe place for the dog, such as put its bed or crate in a quiet location so that it can spend most of its time there over the next few days. It helps them get accustomed to new smells and sounds and the humans' routines within the home. It is important to note here that your dog should not socialize with other dogs at this time. The Love Pit encourages adopters to keep the new dog separate from the residents for at least 48 hours. During that time, you can do scent swapping to help adjust. When ready to introduce dogs, it will help to take a walk together outside in an open space for the dogs to sniff and get to know each other. You should never have dogs meet face-to-face on a leash, and don't let the dogs off-leash until they are comfortable with one another. If the first time doesn't go smoothly for the dogs meeting, don't fret - separate for another 48 hours and try again. Decompression is different for every dog.  Yoda's crate is his happy place. Dogs are den animals! They enjoy having a quiet, secure space where they can relax and decompress. REMAIN CALM AND RELAXED To keep your new dog from developing stress or anxiety, it is important to speak in a calm and even voice. No baby talk! This applies when you are working on setting up boundaries and rules to keep the dog from unwelcome behaviors, such as going to the bathroom on the floor, chewing furniture or shoes, or creating a mess of any kind. Setting boundaries helps your new dog to settle easier as well. Set areas like the crate for sleeping or downtime, walks and playtime at the same times each day are beneficial with settling in. Routines and structure are especially critical for puppies. Dogs are happier when they don't have the anxiety of having complete freedom to roam about the home. ESTABLISHING ROUTINE Managing your dog's environment to establish routines will help your new dog become quickly and painlessly acquainted with its new home. Having the patience to stay calm when your dog misbehaves and reinforcing their appropriate behaviors will lead to a long, healthy, and lasting relationship. Managing your dog's environment and preparing for decompression will help your dog to thrive. Author Nicole McCray is a die-hard animal lover who has worked in pet care for years. She is a former vet technician, a dog mom to her two rescue pups, and she grew up living and working at her family's pet boarding facility. She loves using her writing talents to share the insight she's learned throughout her career in the hopes that her knowledge can help other pet parents out there!
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