How to put on a blanket on a cat and tie it correctly?

After any surgical intervention, it is very important to ensure the conditions under which the healing process of stitches and incisions is completed as quickly as possible. But animals in such situations show their natural reflex. Cats tend to lick their wounds. Thus, animals in most cases successfully heal small abrasions on their bodies completely on their own.

But in the case when it comes to the healing of postoperative sutures, such an intervention can provoke an infection into them, which will significantly slow down the animal's recovery.

After spaying or other operations, veterinarians instruct cats to wear a so-called blanket. It is a fabric overlay on the lower part of the animal's body. The blanket covers the entire belly and chest of the cat, thereby preventing the animal from reaching the postoperative stitches, after all, often cats not only actively lick them, but also try to gnaw out medical threads on the cuts.

In addition, the fabric bandage will help protect the animal from antiseptic poisoning. In most cases, surgical sutures must be treated with medical devices several times a day, at least in the first days after the surgery. And the ingestion of such drugs by animals is highly undesirable.

The exception is those cases when subcutaneous sutures were used after the operation. For their healing, it is necessary that the skin is open and has a constant supply of air. Therefore, wearing a blanket in the postoperative period is excluded.

The duration of the bandage application depends on the complexity of the operation, the size of the stitches, the general condition of the pet and the characteristics of the healing process. Usually, after uncomplicated interventions, the cat should wear a blanket for 10-15 days. But these terms can vary both up and down. The decision on the final removal of the bandage is made by the veterinarian.

Sometimes, immediately after the operation, a blanket is put on the cat in the veterinary clinic itself. There are times when the doctor simply prescribes its wearing, and the owner has to guess for himself how to tie it on the animal correctly.

Added to this is another problem - many cats and cats do not like to wear a bandage at all. The constant sensation of a slight constriction of the body by the tissue is unnatural for animals. Therefore, be prepared that your pet will resist you in some cases. Putting on the blanket once and not taking it off the entire postoperative period will not work, since in the first days the owner will need to process the seams on the cat's body with prescribed antiseptic drugs.

But in fact, tying a bandage is not such a difficult procedure. Most pet owners master it very quickly.

Most often, the blanket is attached to the body of the animal using ordinary strings. Velcro options are available for sale. It is much easier to dress a cat in such a bandage, but blankets with Velcro are more expensive.

The first donning of the blanket takes place immediately after the operation. Most often at this time the animal is still under anesthesia or only partially conscious. In this state, the cat does not offer resistance, which greatly simplifies the process. You should be very careful and careful, do not make sudden movements when manipulating the body of the animal: fresh seams can be damaged very easily.

In the future, you will have to repeatedly handle the wounds and put on a bandage on an already active animal. It is important to act as calmly as possible. If the cat or cat is nervous and resists, talk to your pet lovingly, pet him. Spread the bandage on the table and lay the cat on top of it with its tummy down.

It will be better if the first time someone helps you - it is much easier for the two to carry out this process.

Make sure you position the blanket correctly beforehand. Symmetrical cutouts for the forelegs serve as a guide. The head of the animal should be located slightly in front of them, and the cutouts themselves will be in the area of ​​the anterior armpits of the animal.

A simple classic blanket has 14 laces for fixing, symmetrically located along its side edges. They will need to be tied on the back of the cat. Considering that you will have to periodically remove the bandage, you should not make too tight knots. But it is dangerous to tie the laces and too loosely: the animal can untie them with its teeth and subsequently get rid of the bandage.

• You need to tie a blanket on a cat from the head. Take the first two laces in the front and connect them around the animal's neck.
• The next two pairs of ribbons must be tied crosswise in the area of ​​the cat's shoulder blades, that is, the left string from the second pair is connected to the right string from the third pair, the right string from the second pair - with the ribbon from the third pair of strings on the right side. This should create a crosshair of laces, which will be located above the withers.
• The following straps are tied in pairs at the back.
• The last two pairs of strings are fixed crosswise on the back of the cat's torso.

It is important to ensure that the postoperative dressing does not obstruct the animal's excretory openings: the anus and urinary tract.Otherwise, due to the inconvenience, the pet will actively try to remove the blanket. And you will have to face the fact that the bandage will soon get dirty.

The bandage should not tightly squeeze the cat's body. If you notice that the animal is stiff in movement, loosen the lacing.

It is best to have a second blanket in reserve.

If the surgical suture is small, then it is not necessary to remove the entire bandage to process it. - release only that part of the body where the wound is located. This will save you time and effort while tying and securing the dressing.

Do not leave long ends of the laces. The cat can easily pull them with its teeth, loosen or untie the knot.

It is allowed to take off the blanket for 15-20 minutes 2-3 times a day, especially if the animal does not get used to it well. But the cat should be under your strict supervision at this time. When trying to lick wounds and stitches, you should immediately gently prevent this: distract the animal with a game or caress.

For information on how to put a blanket on a cat and tie it correctly, see the next video.