Pets and a Recovering Bypass Patient

[beachbaubles]

Hi All, I am wondering what I should do with my pets ( a dog and a rabbit) when my husband comes home to recover after a quadruple bypass surgery? Thanks for any help.

[spacecadet1963]

Hi, I do think that your pets can be thereputic and can help your husband to recover faster they can give him love because you can be very sad after having surgery  and just by petting them can help him to regain the use of his arms and he can use the muscles that were cut during the surgery. I have 2 big dogs and 2 cats they will lay next to him them you just have to let them smell where he had the surgery and tell them that daddy has a bobo they understand they will protec him and they can help him by using them to get up with they will walk next to him if he feels unsteadie he can use them as a cane or a walker if he needs to thay will try to clean his insision cause that is what they do when one of their brood has been injured don't worrie it will be ok to keep your pets in the house. i've been there i will say a prayer for his speedy recovery

[beachbaubles]

Thanks! I had discussed it with my husband,and he was all for keeping the pets at home.He had his surgery last Thursday,and came home yesterday(Monday)! He's doing well,but has a ways to go-Thanks for your well wishes!

[ireneo]

Excellent! Here's wishing a successful surgery and speedy recovery for your husband.

[beachbaubles]

Thank you all for your responses-they are so helpful,and make me feel better about keeping the pets at home with us!

[grendslori]

I agree with the child gate! Keep your pets at home. They can be very thereputic, they lower blood pressure and bring spirits up for the sick. I would not send them away somewhere else. They won't understand that at all and it can have an ill affect on them as well.

[ireneo]

I had abdominal surgery last year and my cat is used to jumping up onto my lap. I just kept a pillow handy to protect myself. I do like the child gate idea though. Keep the family together so to speak but hubby protected till everything heals.

[mammo]

For the first few weeks keep them confined to another area of the house, or put up a child's gate to keep them out of the room your husband spends the most time in.  

[RadioAstronomyObserver]

Something to consider...  keep all of them from "jumping" onto his chest or for that matter, keep them off the chest entirely   It's been 10(?) weeks for me and I suppose I could handle a small animal on my chest now but definitely not the first few weeks.  I was supper weak the first few days so don't expect him to feed the animals or do any other thing for them other then pet them.  And I can't think of anything else to consider at the moment.

[EFT56]

depends how big the dog is .. and how tame the rabbit is..
if the dog is trained well and is big , and sits next to him - or lays next him its fine .
as you dont want the dog jumping on him or trying to sit on his lap (right off )
if its a smaller dog , like lap dog ,then its fine wont hurt a thing.. petting the dog helps
calm one down and can be relaxing and aid in the healing process and recovery time.

I dont know about a rabbit ?how long they can sit without jumping around ?

if the dog is big and bothersome, best to have family help out on that issue  - same with  the rabbit, sometimes you can board the pets .. monthly rates .. untill your husband is feeling well enough to see them ..

its not always easy !   I have a small dog, and had my foot operated on in 08
when holding my dog and petting him and letting him sit and lay next to me.. it helped
me alot in recovery and feeling better..  

they do help !  

[ed34]

I'm not sure about dog, but rabbit can be very tasty. Just kidding. I have 4 cats and a
dog and had no problems with them. In fact I found the purring of the cats to be very
theraputic. If it's a smallish dog, the sooner he gets out walking it, the better. This will
increase his recovery rate no end.