Preparing Your Home for Orthopedic Surgery

Create a comfortable, confined recovery area where your dog can rest without running, playing, or jumping. Confinement is especially important in the early weeks, even if your dog starts feeling better quickly.

Good options

• Crate or kennel: Room to stand, turn, and lie down.
• Exercise pen: Small, secure, and stable.
• Small gated room: With good, stable footing and no accessible furniture for jumping.

Inside the space

• Supportive, washable bedding
• Fresh water in easy reach
• Non-slip flooring and no clutter
• Enough room to rest while wearing an E-collar

Depending on the procedure and your dog's comfort, a sling, large towel, or Help 'Em Up Harness can help you steady your dog during the first days at home.

Using a bath towel

• Fold a large towel lengthwise into a wide strip.
• Place it beneath the abdomen just in front of the hind legs, unless your veterinary team advises otherwise.
• Hold both towel ends in one hand and the leash in the other.
• Use only light upward tension — enough to catch your dog if they slip, not to carry their full weight.

We particularly like the Help 'Em Up Harness for larger dogs or dogs that need repeated support throughout the day.

Light support can make standing and walking safer during early recovery.

Do not allow running, jumping, rough play, chasing, or off-leash activity. Keep your dog off beds and sofas and use a short leash for every outdoor trip.

If you have other dogs at home, take them outside separately from the recovering dog and separate them whenever play could become too energetic.

Stable footing and blocked stairs help protect a healing limb or joint.

We recommend an appropriately fitted E-collar for every dog until the incision has healed. Make sure your recovery area gives your dog enough space to rest while wearing it.

Plan a safe trip home after surgery. Do not allow jumping into or out of the vehicle. Use your towel, sling, or harness to steady your dog, and consider a secured travel crate if another helper is not available.

Work through these items before your dog's orthopedic procedure so you can focus on helping them recover safely once they are back home.

• Set up a crate, exercise pen, or small recovery room with stable footing.
• Provide comfortable, washable bedding and easy access to water.
• Arrange for your dog to stay on one level of the house.
• Block stairs with secure baby gates where needed.
• Have a large towel, support sling, or Help 'Em Up Harness ready.
• Place non-slip runners or rugs along walking paths.
• Choose a flat, nearby bathroom area with minimal steps.
• Prevent access to beds, couches, and other jumping opportunities.
• Plan separate outdoor trips for your other household dogs.
• Have an appropriately fitted E-collar available.
• Plan safe transport home with support and, if useful, a secured crate.
• Arrange assistance and supervision for the first days of recovery.

Examples of procedures this guide applies to

Fracture repair, patellar luxation correction, lateral suture stabilization, FHO, implant removal, and other orthopedic surgeries.