Justine Johnson: Hello! My name is Dr. Justine Johnson. I am a member of the Humane Society Veterinarian Medical Association, as well as the co-owner of Ocean State Veterinary Specialist, a referral and emergency clinic in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Today, I am going to show you how to care for your newly spayed or neutered pet. By making this important decision, you are helping to prevent more animals from becoming homeless and doing the right thing for your pet's well-being. In this video series, I will discuss what you need to know before picking your pet up from the clinic. While your pet is at of the veterinary clinic, it's a good time to prepare the home environment so that you are ready for your pet's return home. Next, I will talk about what to do once your pet comes home. It's important that he or she stays primarily indoors with restricted activity. And finally, I will provide some advice on what to keep a close eye on when caring for your newly spayed or neutered pet. Some redness or swelling is normal but you will want to be aware of what to look out for. You don't need much to get started to prepare for your pet's return after their procedure. The recovery area should be indoors in a clean and dry area to help prevent infection of the incision area. Make sure your pet has a comfortable bed to lie on in a quiet area of the home. Cat should be provided a litter box near where they are recovering and should not need to jump or climb stairs to get into it. Before we begin, let me tell you a little bit about myself and the Humane Society.

I graduated from the college of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. I have specialty training in emergency and critical care medicine. In our emergency clinic, we sometimes see animals with complications following a spay or neuter procedure, which is why I always stress the importance of proper care for an animal who has just had a spay or neuter procedure to ensure a successful recovery. The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association is an affiliate of the Humane Society of the United States, the nation's largest animal protection organization. Veterinarians work with the Humane Society to help educate the public about health care issues for pets. So let's get started, helping you care for your recently spayed or neutered animal.