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After surgery, your pet might come back weak and lacking in some motor skills. This means that you need to put some thought into preparing your home for the recovery period and avoiding aggravating injuries while your pet is healing. 

The following are six important steps to making your home environment safer for a pet who is recovering from orthopedic surgery:

Clean and organize

The first step to preparing your home for your recovering pet is to do some cleaning and clear away any obstacles.

You can take some time to consider what furniture pieces could potentially aggravate your pet's injuries. It might be a good idea to even prevent your pet from jumping up on furniture or removing furniture entirely so that your pet doesn't aggravate injuries by jumping up and down. 

Put gates up to block off steps, ledges, and other potentially hazardous obstacles

For example, a pet recovering from orthopedic surgery probably shouldn't be going up and down stairs. It's a good idea to buy some gates to block off obstacles in the house that could put stress on your dog's healing joints and bones. 

Elevate dishes for food and water

Putting your pet's food and water dishes up high enough so that he or she doesn't have to bend down to eat and drink is a good idea. This will prevent your pet from neglecting to eat and drink due to discomfort.

Getting enough nutrients is especially important when your pet is healing from surgery. You might even want to invest in higher quality food and nutritional supplements to make your dog's recovery faster and healthier. Discuss the your pet's nutritional needs after surgery with your veterinarian, such as at Animal Clinic Of Billings.

Put rugs down that offer better traction

Slippery tile and hardwood floors could make your pet more likely to slip or trip if his or her legs are weakened from an injury and surgery.

If any of your floors are slippery, consider covering them up with a comfortable rug that maximizes traction. 

Invest in a bed with a firm mattress

Your pet will need to get good quality sleep while recovering to heal as quickly as possible. Consider getting an orthopedic dog bed to prepare for your pet's surgery recovery period. This will make it so that your pet is less tempted to jump up on furniture to get comfortable while recovering. 

Minimize your pet's need to move around

By placing all of your pet's items like bedding, food dishes, and toys close together, you will minimize the distance your pet moves around every day. Consider how you can set up your pet's items to encourage your pet to rest and avoid too much exertion while recovering.