Eating with Ji is a video series that showcases fuss-free yummy treats made for dogs, by a lazy pawrent who wants to act fancy. Do note that the treats are meant to be consumed as part of a balanced diet, and should be fed in moderation.
Prawns are not part of Duoji’s regular diet but I give some to her occasionally, when it’s on the hooman’s dinner menu. Normally I just boil them and add them to her dinner but then I thought, why not jazz it up a little to make the treat a little extra special for her. Hence, the idea for prawn risotto – doggie version.
I highly recommend boiling the prawns in their shells, with the head, so as to extract the goodnesss of the prawn head roe for the broth. In the video below, I didn’t have the prawn heads on hence the broth looks less creamy.
Another time, I made this again but I mixed in a little bit of Absolute Holistic Lobster Bisque for extra oomph.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this recipe. Do share your creations with us.
Eating with Ji is a video series that showcases fuss-free yummy treats made for dogs, by a lazy pawrent who wants to act fancy. Do note that the treats are meant to be consumed as part of a balanced diet, and should be fed in moderation.
The idea to create special treats for my dog came about one day when I was watching Masterchef on TV. When I saw the contestants getting all creative and coming up with yummy dishes, I thought to myself, hey I could do that for Duoji too. Plus point, she’s probably less critical than Gordan Ramsey.
Of cos, me being me, my aim is to keep things as simple and fuss-free as possible. Hence the idea for the Eating with Ji series was born – to create ‘fancy’ yummy dog treats with easily available ingredients under a short amount of time.
The first treat I made was mini burgers or sliders. I used a commercial dog bread for the bun but you can use regular bread as well if your dog is able to eat it. In general, bread is safe for dogs provided they don’t have any allergies but do limit the amount, which was why I made mini burgers. I sometimes feed Duoji some keto-friendly (no carbs) bread as well, just a small piece, so you could use that too for a grain-free option.
For the filling, you could use canned dog food or small pieces of cooked meat. In the video below, I used Pet Cubes (cos lazy) but I’ve also done the same thing with small pieces of pan-fried minced pork as well. Just use your furkid’s favourite food, but make sure the ‘patty’ is moist enough to stick together.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this recipe. Do share your creations with us.
Toys are essential items for all dogs, regardless of age and breeds. All dogs love to play to a certain extent. Playing and chewing are natural canine behaviours.
There are so many dog toys options in the market now, so choosing toys for your dog can be overwhelming, especially for new owners. Then there’s the other end of the spectrum where overzealous dog owners end up buying every single toy in sight cos they are cute, without considering the form or functions of these toys. Some owners may end up with a giant pile of toys gathering dust because the toys they chose do not interest their dogs or there are simply too many.
So how do you choose toys that your dog will actually like?
A dog’s toy preference depends on their personal style of playing and chewing. Instead of buying just any toy in the store, try to be more purposeful in selecting and trying out a few different types of toys.
Here are the common types of dog toys in the market, and these are also the ones that I personally allow Duoji to play with at home.
Balls
A quintessential dog toy, balls are classic examples that we see everywhere, in movies, books, etc. There’s a reason why they are so popular and evergreen.
They are great for playing fetch, rolling around and getting your pup to chase it, or even as a chew toy depending on the material used. Generally, the more durable ones like rubber balls last longer and are safer for them. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend those foam ones or even tennis balls, as it’s easy for your dog to chew off bits of it and ingest them.
When choosing a ball for your dog, try to pick one that is large enough for them to carry without accidentally swallowing it, but small enough to comfortably hold in the mouth.
This is a good size for Duoji but the foam material didn’t last long.This plastic ball isn’t that great for playing but it makes a funny sound when it’s rolling.
Chew toys
Can they be called dogs if they don’t enjoy chewing? Chew toys are another classic and must-have toys for all furkids. Feeding into their natural instinct to chew, such toys can help to ease boredom, reduce dental plaque, and are great especially when your pup is teething.
They come in many different shapes and sizes, and materials. Depending on whether your dog is a strong chewer, you might need to select chews toys with different hardness levels. Try around a few types and if you observe your dog making a dent in the toy or even chewing off a chunk easily, then that’s probably not hard enough for your power chewer.
Kong Dental Squeezz
For a longer chew time or to engage/distract them, choose this type with grooves to stuff treats in.I love this one from Kong, Not only is it durable and gives a good chew, it’s great for a game of fetch. Due to its odd shape, the toy bounces in different directions each time when it hits the floor, which gives an added level of excitement during play time.You can squeeze doggy toothpaste into this one for extra teeth cleaning while your pup is chewing. It’s a bit messy to clean up though.
The first-ever chew toy I got for Duoji was a mini Nylabone. As a first time owner, I just grabbed the most readily available ones and Nylabone can be found easily at all PLC outlets. However, I kept finding little bits of the toy around the house. Eventually, I tossed it out. Subsequently, I read up a little bit more about Nylabone and found that there were quite a bit of negative reviews on it, from the pieces of plastic breaking off and being ingested by dogs, to causing tooth fractures, etc.
To be fair, regardless of brands and materials, the real danger of any chew toy lies in the potential damage to your dog’s teeth or digestive system so the best way is to monitor closely. If the toy becomes too battered or you keep finding bits of it, chances are your furkid needs a tougher chew toy.
Duoji’s first Nylabone chew toy.
Stuffed toys
Stuffed toys are great as a snuggle buddy and can serve as a chew toy for the more gentle chewers. They usually contain squeakers and some kind of stuffing, so for power chewers, it’s best to supervise them during play just in case they rip it apart and ingest the stuffing.
These toys tend to be cheaper but don’t last very long. They also tend to get dirty more easily and would require more frequent washing and disinfecting, as compared to toys made from other materials like rubber etc, which can be wiped easily.
I personally avoid those that are furry, cos the fibres might be ripped off by your dog while chewing and ingested, or cause a mess around the house.
Just a fraction of Duoji’s stuffed toy collection. There’s a random knotted towel in there which is great for chewing as well.I love this one from Daiso! It’s ultra durable and the material (a bit net-like) is easy to clean. Washes and dries quickly too. I have a spare one in storage just in case this one is gone.This is what I meant by furry toys. The fibres may dislodge easily, plus the fur gets all clumpy and yucky when wet with your dog’s saliva. Not recommended.
Tug toys
Most dogs love a good game of tug-of-war. It’s fun and an excellent way to tire your pup out. There are many types of tug toys in the market – choose one that is comfortable for you to hold in your hand and pull on, as well as easy for your dog to bite and pull on.
In addition, they should be durable enough to withstand your dog’s pulling. Be sure to replace worn-out tug toys so they do not break in the middle of a game.
Be mindful not to tug too hard when playing. If your dog wouldn’t release the toy, just let it go and try again. I’ve heard stories of dogs getting their teeth pulled out during games.
Rope toys are a popular choice when it comes to tug games but personally, I don’t recommend as they tend to fray very easily. The fibres, when detached and ingested, can cause a serious obstruction in your dog’s digestive tract. There are many online literatures citing the dangers of rope toys. Do read up and make an informed decision.
The above-mentioned Daiso stuffed toy. Notice the frayed rope portion? I removed it subsequently.
Interactive Toys
Apart from a good physical workout, dogs need ample mental stimulation as well. Learning tricks/obedience training, and having a good walk and sniff session outdoors are great ways to achieve this. Why not up the ante with interactive toys?
Common ones include food-dispensing toys and puzzles and come in many variations. These can be on the pricey end of things but in general, you don’t as many of these in your collection. Personally, I source for mine via Taobao or Ezbuy, which is much cheaper than local stores.
Will work for food.
Nose-work toys
To a dog, their sense of smell is everything. It’s what they rely on to explore their surroundings, suss out food, recognise people and peers, identify danger, etc. Hence, it’s always a good idea to incorporate toys that can help to train them to use their noses more.
Snuffle mats are a good choice because of their huge variety and ‘pattern’. Some designs can even be folded and kept in a compact bag for easy storage. They can also be easily DIY-ed if you’re the crafty sort. All you gotta do is to hide some treats in the numerous folds or layers and watch your dog go on a hunt to uncover all the treats. Alternatively, burrow toys are a good choice as well!
Lazy girl taking a short cut by lifting up the mat and scattering the treats all over.
Bonus: Larger than life toys
Well, this is entirely optional but a ‘cute-to-have’ addition in your collection. Duoji absolutely loves stuffed toys that are way larger than her. She’ll drag them all over the house, lie on them, attack and ‘fight’ with them, etc. Maybe it’s like having a sibling…
I hope this list serves as a quick guide to choosing the appropriate toys for your dog. For dog toys, variety is better than quantity, or else you’ll soon end up with clutter. After all, they can only play with that many toys in a single session and who’s gonna clean up the mess? =P
Quick tip: Try rotating the toys by switching out a couple of them with something else, then re-introducing them again after a while. Your dog will probably think they are brand new and you save money and avoid building up a pile of unused toys.
Mid-Autumn Festival will be upon us soon. What better way to celebrate the occasion than to enjoy some mooncakes and tea (non-caffeinated) together with our furry pals?
Here’s an easy DIY doggie mooncake recipe that I’d like to share today. In this recipe, I featured two flavours – salmon pumpkin and cheesy chicken. Feel free to customise the mooncakes with your furkid’s favourite fillings. Think other proteins, different seasonings, chopped up meat jerkies, fruit puree or even durian if you’re feeling indulgent.
You’ll need:
350g Sweet potatoes
50g Pumpkin
80g Salmon
80g Chicken fillet
Mozzerella cheese
Mooncake mould
Weighing scale
Makes approximately 10 mini mooncakes. To be consumed as a treat or as part of a balanced diet.
Step by step instructions
Peel and wash the sweet potatoes. Cut into cubes.
Wash and de-skin the pumpkin. Cut into cubes.
Steam the sweet potatoes and pumpkin on high heat for around 15 minutes, till soft. Alternatively you may choose to boil them.
Remove from heat and mash them separately. Set aside for use later. The sweet potato would be your mooncake ‘skin’.
Pan fry the salmon and chicken fillet till fully cooked. Add a drizzle of coconut oil for added fragrance (optional). You may also choose to boil or bake the proteins.
Chop the salmon and chicken into smaller pieces. These will be your mooncake filling.
Weigh out the ingredients according to the volume of your mooncake mould. The skin to filling ratio is approximately 3:1. For a 40g mooncake, I used 30g of sweet potatoes for the ‘skin’ and 10g of salmon and pumpkin combined. Likewise for the other flavour, I used 10g of chicken and cheese combined.
Flatten the sweet potato into a disc shape with your palm. Place the filling in the middle of the ‘skin’ and carefully wrap it up. Shape into a compact ball. If there are cracks or the filling is spilling out, reduce the amount of filling slightly.
Shape the mooncake using your preferred mooncake mould and you’re done!
Notes:
You may use other types of sweet potatoes for the ‘skin’ – the orange or yellow ones. Regular potatoes work as well. For more colour variants, you may also colour the potatoes with natural food colourings eg. beets for red, turmeric for mustard, spinach juice for green etc.
Pumpkin tend to be more moist and sticky when mashed, hence it’s not suitable to be used as the ‘skin’. You can try mixing in some flour if you prefer to use pumpkin for the ‘skin’.
I used the old-school wooden mooncake mould which takes a little more effort to get the mooncakes out. You may brush the mould with a little bit of oil or dust with some flour to make the removal easier. The plunger style type of mould would be more convenient.
Less is more when it comes to the fillings. The sweet potato ‘skin’ is drier, more crumbly and less stretchy compared to a real dough. You may find it challenging to form a compact ball if you put too much fillings in.
Ending off with a quick visual summary of the recipe.
If you have tried and enjoyed our recipe, tag us on IG @duojipoodle. We would love to see your creations!
I started allowing Duoji to sleep in the room with me when she was about 9 months old. Subsequently, that progressed to her sharing the bed with me (or my sis, depending on her mood). At that time I didn’t really give much thought to it, nor was I aware that some experts online actually actively discourage this practice. I thought it was fairly common, cos who wouldn’t want to cuddle with your furry pal?
Some of the reasons cited include feeding into the dominant streak of your pet, increased risks of parasitic infections/diseases, and disrupted sleep, amongst others. Yet for every piece of literature discouraging this, there are also many other articles touting the benefits of sleeping with your pets.
For pawrents who are still on the fence, here are some of the pros and cons of letting your pet sleep with you, based on my personal experience over the past year.
You get to spend more time together
This was actually the main reason why I made the switch.
For her first seven months at home, Duoji slept alone in her playpen at night in the living room. My whole family works full-time and during the day, Duoji is alone at home. When I get back from work at night, I typically have about 3-4 hours with her before I have to shower and get ready for bed etc. That also signals her bedtime, where I’ll then secure her in the playpen and bid her goodnight. I would occasionally still hear her barking for attention, or whining, especially when she was younger.
The next morning, I let her out for her meal, pat her for a little bit, then I have to rush off to work. If you think about it, the actual face-time isn’t much. I do try make up for it over the weekends but still, there’s this sense of guilt gnawing at me inside. I felt like I wasn’t being a good pawrent #mumguilt.
Nowadays, with our new routine, Duoji automatically follows me when I head back to my room. Even when I’m doing my own things like reading, watching shows or waiting for my hair to dry after shower, she’s right there keeping me company (and vice versa). Or she would be snoozing in bed.
It may not seem like much but sleeping and spending time with your furkid before bed indirectly increases the amount of time you both spend together. Personally I noticed that Duoji became less whiny at night and more calm in the morning. Previously she would always be very excited and energetic in the morning, having not seen anyone the entire night. And that’s not helpful when you’re trying to get your dog to settle down and eat quickly so that you can head to work on time.
It can strengthen your bond
What better way to bond with your pet than sharing a cuddle at night? Or giving your furkid a belly rub as you netflix and chill in bed.
Sharing a bed (or room) with your pet is another way to connect without demanding too much from each other. Having a relaxing time with each other can help also help to build trust and confidence in your pet.
It may not solely be due to the sleeping arrangements but I did notice Duoji becoming more physically affectionate with me as she gets older. I often find her leaning up against me as she’s resting – on the sofa or the floor, or sitting on my lap, even when it’s not bedtime.
A short game of fetch before bedtime.
It’s comforting
For those who live alone or have their own rooms, having the presence of another living thing near you as you sleep can be a great source of comfort. It’s also extra cosy!
Waking up to a cute face or warm licks on the face is also a super nice feeling. I sometimes find myself wanting to stay in bed longer just so that I can prolong these morning cuddly moments.
Conversely, allowing your pet to sleep with you can also help your furkids feel more at ease, being close to their humans. Dogs are pack animals by nature. This can be especially beneficial for those who tend to be more insecure.
You feel safer
There’s a reason for the term Guard Dog.
It’s a known fact that dogs have excellent hearing and most are fairly protective of their humans. If there are any sounds or movement, you can be sure that your furry pal will sound the alarm and alert you.
Whether it’s an intruder (touch wood!) or just the presence of an unwanted critter. It’s like having a built-in protection system.
While it’s true that not all dogs are guard dog material, even a fearful whimper or scuttle across the room works as an alarm signal too! Just the knowledge that your dog will react in the event of something amiss can help you feel safer at night.
You can respond faster if anything happens to them
Having your furkids in the room with you is also a way of preventing them from roaming around and getting in trouble if they’re sleeping elsewhere. More importantly, it enables the pawrent to be more vigilant and react faster in case of any emergencies.
There was once I woke up to a loud wheezing sound. It was from Duoji, loud enough to jolt me from sleep. I would later find out that it’s possibly reverse sneezing but at that moment, it freaked me out. On hindsight the episode probably lasted less than a minute but it felt way longer to me. All I could do was to comfort her while waiting for it to stop.
Another time, I woke up in the morning to some retching sounds. Duoji had vomited bile.
While both occasions were not life-threatening, I was able to respond and soothe her almost immediately. For that I am thankful. Or else I might just be fast asleep, leaving her to suffer the discomfort alone in the living room.
Lost bed space
And now, on to the cons.
Top of my list is definitely the lack of bed space. Once you let your dog in your bed, to them the bed then becomes theirs. On many occasions I’d walk into my room or enter after showering to find Duoji sprawled across the bed or right smack in the middle, leaving me with little to no space to sleep unless I push her away. Fortunately she’s quite small in size so I can always pick her up easily.
“What chu staring at?”
Right smack in the middleForced to the edge of the bed and still got to provide belly rubs. #minionlife
Damaged items
If you’re like me and sometimes leave clothes lying around on the bed, be prepared for them to be damaged overnight. In the middle of the night, while everyone is asleep, your furkid might be awake and get bored. That’s when they may start to ‘attack’ items around.
I’ve personally woken up to discover damaged zippers on my clothing or missing buttons. These days, I try not to things lying around. In a way it makes the room neater so it’s a plus point I guess.
Woke up one morning to find Duoji ‘enjoying’ my bolster.
Sleep disturbances
Some people say that sharing a bed with your dog can be disruptive to your sleep. Perhaps that may be true for those more sensitive to movement or sounds but personally for me, that has never been a problem.
Duoji moves around throughout the night – sometimes my bed, my sister’s bed, her own bed but I usually manage to sleep pretty well even when she’s around. Maybe I’m blessed in this area. Even the occasional sound of her snoring isn’t that loud to be an issue.
In actual fact, I think my presence actually affect Duoji’s sleep even more. Dogs are already more sensitive to movements and noises. Add that to the human tossing and turning in bed, I think it’s more likely for the dog to be kept awake and not have a restful sleep.
I’m also the kind who sets multiple alarms and snooze them repeatedly so imagine the din that Duoji has to endure every morning. Yikes!
Disruption of nightly routine
One thing that I had to change recently to accommodate Duoji was my nightly routine. I’m a night owl and usually sleep after 2am. These days, I find myself consciously retiring to my room earlier so that Duoji would follow suit and get ready for bed.
Knowing that she prefers to sleep in dim lighting, I also started implementing ‘Lights Out’ time. I’d be doing my usual stuff like reading or watching shows on my tablet with a night light and earphones on so as not to disturb her. It’s a small trade-off though, one that I’m very willing to make.
What to take note of?
If you’re intending to welcome your furkid to bed, here are some things that you might want to take note of:
Make sure to only start after your furkid is fully toilet trained and is old enough to hold their bladder overnight. You wouldn’t want to wake up to a soiled bed or pillow. I have a pee tray in my room but Duoji only used it a couple of times. Usually she’s able to wait till the next day and pee after someone lets her out of the room.
Best to wait till your pup outgrows the chewing stage or you risk waking up to damaged items. When Duoji was younger she used to like chewing on my hair. Well, I’m glad she wasn’t sleeping with me then.
Is your bed too high for your pal? The height of your bed should ideally be safe for your furkid to jump up and down without hurting themselves. Alternatively you might want to use pet stairs.
Is your pet a drooler or shedder? If you have sensitive skin or allergies, you might want to reconsider or do a short trial. Personally I have mild eczema and sensitive nose but perhaps because Duoji is a toy poodle, the shedding issue is quite insignificant. I never had any issues with allergies or sensitivities caused by her.
Dirt and fleas can be picked up by your dog and brought into your bed. The best way to deal with this is to keep your furkid as clean as possible. That means cleaning their paws and body thoroughly with anti-bacterial wipes after every outing, cleaning the muzzle and butt after meals and poop, etc. I believe that this is something that many pawrents already do as part of their routine care.
And lastly, do know that once you start to introduce them to your bed, there’s no turning back. They may never leave!
Do I regret inviting Duoji in? Absolutely not. To me, the inconveniences are nothing to shout about compared to the extra bonding moments we have together. Perhaps the situation would be different if it involved another breed, or if she was bigger in size, or she’s the more active or disruptive kind. Or if I have worse allergies.
At the end of the day, it’s a personal choice. But for me, for sure I wouldn’t get to experience moments like these if I had left Duoji sleeping alone at night. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
Rude little girl lying on me.Curled up next to me
<3
Do you sleep with your pets as well? I’d love to hear your experience.
To sterilise or not to sterilise, that is the question that many pet parents face at some point in time. But what happens after the decision is made?
So you’ve finally come to a conclusion after weeks and weeks of researching the pros and cons of sterilising your furry mate. The tough part’s over, right? Not necessarily!
To ensure that the surgery and recovery process is as smooth as it can get, these are some of the things that all pawrents should consider during the planning process.
When to do it?
We often hear advice like “You should spay her after a few rounds of heat” or “Let her experience motherhood first” or “Male dogs don’t need to be sterilised” etc. Then there’s the other recommendation that it’s safe to sterilise puppies from 4 months old.
Personally for me, I spoke to three vets about this issue and all of them gave me differing advice. Even within veterinary science, there are different schools of thought. Initially I had planned to spay Duoji at 6 months, then it was pushed back to 8 months cos she just looks so young and baby-ish. I didn’t have the heart to subject her to surgery. Ultimately she was spayed at 13 months old, after she reached adulthood. Incidentally, she had her first heat at around 9 months old. In a way I was reassured that she had developed properly physically before surgery.
At the end of the day, every furkid is different and there’s no right timing to do it. There are some underlying conditions, such as undescended testicles, of which sterilisation is recommended but otherwise, best to seek a trusted vet’s opinion and make an informed decision.
Where to do it?
For something as important as a surgery, it would be unwise to just waltz in to any vet clinic. I strongly recommend all pawrents to begin searching for a trustworthy and reputable vet in the early stages, before you trust them with any operation procedure.
Check online reviews or chat with other pawrents. Better still, visit them for a simple check-up or vaccination – you’d want to assess the clinic, its staff and facilities, whether it’s a good experience overall, before you make your final decision.
Location is also an important consideration. Not only would you save time travelling to and fro (or $$ for those who don’t drive), the journey would also be more comfortable for your furkid. This is particularly important for furkids who get anxious when travelling in cars. Imagine having to endure a long car ride while feeling groggy and in pain after surgery.
Sterilisation fees vary across different vet clinics as well, so if price is an area of concern, best to call up your shortlisted clinics to enquire before confirming the appointment.
Checked in at the clinic
Any add-ons?
During the procedure, your furkid will be under general anesthesia so why not plan the sterilisation surgery to coincide with procedures that you may want/need? Common ones include dental scaling, extraction of teeth etc. This way, you’ll only need to subject your furkid to general anesthesia once.
E-collar
Wearing an e-collar is a must for furkids post-surgery as it helps to prevent them from licking or disturbing their wound. Most incisions are held together by self-dissolving threads which can come apart when in contact with their saliva, putting the wound at risk of infection.
If your dog is fussy, it’s best to get him or her used to the feeling of wearing an e-collar at least 2 weeks prior to surgery. Ease them into it by keeping the initial duration short, then slowly extending the time, with plenty of treats in between, of course.
During this step, you can also take the chance to check the fit of the e-collar. The last thing you want is for your furkid to reject the e-collar or try to shake it off and risk aggravating the wound. Or worse, to find out that the e-collar doesn’t fit on the day of surgery and you have to scramble to get a replacement.
Trying on the first collar, which was too small. Duoji’s not pleased.
Grooming
Post-surgery, you won’t be able to shower your furkid for around 10-14 days so do plan a shower before the appointment day to keep your furkid clean and comfortable. I strongly recommend sending your furkid to full grooming before that – a shorter and neater fur coat can come in handy especially since you won’t be able to shower or brush their coat much during the recovery phase.
Setting up a confinement area
During recovery, your furkid would have to minimise movement and get plenty of rest. That means no running, jumping about or rough play. If you don’t already have a playpen or crate, the next best way is to set up a temporary confinement area in a spare room. This would be the space that your furkid is confined in for the next 14 days, ideally, so make it comfortable with soft blankets/pillows etc.
But if your furkid is as active as mine, then you will have to devise some additional ways to keep them safe and out of trouble. You might even want to pre-plan these stop measures and test them out first to make sure it’s foolproof.
In Duoji’s case, she was actually almost normal by the 3rd day after surgery, which means it was impossible to keep her confined for long periods of time. I ended up allowing her to have some pockets of free roaming time under close supervision from day 5 onwards but with makeshift barricades (think rows of chairs to block the stairs, leg massager and random metal tins to block the sofa etc) around the house to prevent her from accessing areas that I deem dangerous.
Trying to get past the chairs blocking the stairs.Blocked. She eventually figured out how to open the gate so I had to use a carton of drinks to secure it.
Caregiver
After the surgery, your furkid will be weaker than usual and require extra care. Hence it’s best to have someone responsible and attentive around to take care of them round the clock, especially for the first few days. For working pawrents, that means you might have to make arrangements to work from home or plan your leave days around the surgery date.
In my case, I planned the surgery on a Wednesday so I’ll have Thursday through Sunday to take care of Duoji before I head back to work on Monday.
Just discharged. Another reason to go for full grooming is so that the shaved leg wont look too weird.Tired and listless
Fasting
The night before surgery, your furkid would be required to fast so do remember to stop all food and treats by the stipulated cut-off time. Don’t forget to keep the water bowl too.
Keeping record
So you and your furkid have made it through the surgery and all safety measures are in place. What’s left is to ensure that the wound heals properly. It’s very important to keep the wound clean and dry – follow the aftercare instructions given by your vet closely.
As an additional step, you might want to keep a record of your furkid’s healing progress. Check for open/split wounds or signs of infection like pus and bleeding. The easiest way is to take a photo of the wound everyday, ideally using the same device and under similar lighting conditions. This way, you can compare the progress and show your vet if you suspect anything amiss.
By day 5, Duoji’s wound looked almost closed up and the swelling and redness had gone down already. Eventually the incision wound will fade away and be covered by the belly fur. Now, almost 7 months on, I cannot even locate the scar anymore.
Hopefully the above tips are helpful to pawrents who have upcoming surgeries and are unsure of what to expect.
