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How Long After A Open Heart Surgery Can Dog Walking Be Undertaken?
Question: My husband had open heart surgery- double by pass- a week ago. We will be returning home soon and we have high energy, anxious, medium sized dog whom my husband loves. He has allowed the dog to climb up on him when he is seated, jump up when excited, demand to go out many times per day, and pull on the leash. I find those behaviors intolerable, so he did most of the dog care. Now I am in charge of the dog while my husband recovers. I\However, I have to work and cannot take the dog out many times a day. I am also concerned about the jumping up behaviors. We live on a remote island so there is not ready access to dog walkers. Can you give me an idea of how long it will be before my husband can safely resume care of this animal? I need to come up with a plan.
Brief Answer:
It depends how large were the incision.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Answer for this question depends of the incision location.
1. If his chest were completely open, so the whole sternum were cut, it should take about 3 months for bones and tissues to get back to acceptable durability.
2. If he had only part of sternum incised and the rest of incision goes along the ribs, 1 months should be enough to have stable chest and to be able to take the dog out.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
It depends how large were the incision.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Answer for this question depends of the incision location.
1. If his chest were completely open, so the whole sternum were cut, it should take about 3 months for bones and tissues to get back to acceptable durability.
2. If he had only part of sternum incised and the rest of incision goes along the ribs, 1 months should be enough to have stable chest and to be able to take the dog out.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
His chest was completely opened. Are you saying that for three months it is not safe for him to be walking the dog because of possible thoracic injury?
Brief Answer:
Earlier than 3 months his chest can not take dogs jump.
Detailed Answer:
Walking is fine. But you have mentioned that the dog can jump or climb on him. This wont be safe earlier than 3 months after a surgery. Try to imagine that he has a fracture on the area which is constantly moving. This makes the healing harder than on any other area. If he has some osteoporosis, healing process can be even harder.
In some cases, 2 months, maybe 2 and a half can be enough. But 3 months is the safest time.
Earlier than 3 months his chest can not take dogs jump.
Detailed Answer:
Walking is fine. But you have mentioned that the dog can jump or climb on him. This wont be safe earlier than 3 months after a surgery. Try to imagine that he has a fracture on the area which is constantly moving. This makes the healing harder than on any other area. If he has some osteoporosis, healing process can be even harder.
In some cases, 2 months, maybe 2 and a half can be enough. But 3 months is the safest time.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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