Postoperative Care: When Surgery Ends, Recovery Begins  

Pet owners often think the surgery itself is the most important stage of monitoring, yet the postoperative recovery period is actually the most critical stage of veterinary care. As dogs recover from surgery, their body can continue to react to the effects of the anesthesia. When dogs inhale too much anesthesia, they can experience changes in cardiovascular and respiratory function, blood pressure, and breathing. Surgical tissue injury can also increase nervous system sensitivity, which can contribute to postoperative pain hypersensitivity during recovery (Ilki9). 

According to a study by Redondo et al. (2023), 81% of anesthetic-related deaths in dogs occur during the postoperative period. The American Animal Hospital Association (2020) explains that the first 3 hours after surgery are the most important for monitoring, as anesthetic complications can occur. These findings emphasize the need to improve patient safety. The American Animal Hospital Association (2020) also explains that the lack of postoperative monitoring increases the odds of anesthetic death by 5-35 times. Veterinary staff should be continuously monitoring physiological changes, including oxygen levels, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and body temperature (AAHA, 2020). Because these changes may develop as the patient comes out of anesthesia, monitoring remains a critical part of postoperative care.  

Where H.A.L.O Can Help 

H.A.L.O is a clinical-grade monitoring harness designed to support canine postoperative recovery. The technology provides veterinary teams with continuous information about the patient's recovery, including:

• Heart rate

• Temperature

• Respiratory rate

• Physiological changes 

• Real-time activity through a clinical dashboard

H.A.L.O is designed to work alongside veterinary professionals by providing information on patients' recovery progress and helping veterinarians stay informed about changes throughout the postoperative period, while keeping veterinary professionals at the center of patient care.  

Importance of Continuous Vital Monitoring  

The American Animal Hospital Association (2020) discusses the importance of both electronic and hands-on assessment from a specialized anesthetist when monitoring. While traditional postoperative check-ins involve monitoring individual vital signs at specific intervals and performing physical exams (Barnette, 2020), continuous monitoring allows veterinarians to view ongoing information about the patient's physiological changes and trends over time. H.A.L.O is designed to support this by continuously monitoring vitals and helping vet teams stay consistently updated throughout the patient's recovery period. Because patients cannot communicate how they feel, ongoing monitoring is essential during this period. 

The Future of Health Monitoring Technology 

Veterinary medicine continues to adopt advanced technologies that support patient monitoring and surgical operations. Arkan et al. (2024) explain that wearable and digital health technologies are creating opportunities for monitoring animals’ health. As technologies incorporate tools such as artificial intelligence and machine learning for predictive analysis, they can support veterinarians in planning, accuracy, and treatment (Duggirala et al., 2025). 

References  

Arkan, A., Ullah, Z., Ahmad, S., Hussain, N., Mehroz, I., Qaisar, A., Sarfraz, H., & Aziz, A. (2024). EXPLORING ADVANCEMENTS IN VETERINARY MEDICINE: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF CURRENT TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 31(5), 1367-1377. https://doi.org/10.53555/jptcp.v31i5.6347  

Barnette, C. (2020, November 20). Vet Tech monitoring of critically ill patients. Vet Tech Monitoring of Critically Ill Patients. https://blog.vettechprep.com/vet-tech-monitoring-of-critically-ill-patients 

Duggirala, H. J., Johnson, J. L., Tadesse, D. A., Hsu, C.-H., Norris, A. L., Faust, J., Walter-Grimm, L., & Colonius, T. (2025). Artificial intelligence and machine learning in veterinary medicine: A regulatory perspective on current initiatives and future prospects. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 86(S1).https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.24.09.0285 

Ilkiw, J.E. (1999). Balanced anesthetic techniques in dogs and cats. Clinical Techniques in Small Animal Practice, 14(1), 27-37. DOI 10.1016/S1096-2867(99)80024-3 

Phase 2 step 4: Anesthetic protocols. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.aaha.org/resources/2020-aaha-anesthesia-and-monitoring-guidelines-for-dogs-and-cats/phase-2-day-of-anesthesia/step-4-anesthetic-protocol/ 

Redondo JI, Otero PE, Martínez-Taboada F, Doménech L, Hernández-Magaña EZ, Viscasillas J. Anesthetic mortality in dogs: A worldwide analysis and risk assessment. Vet Rec. 2023;e3604. https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.3604